bali cultural tourism and tourism culture

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Bali : cultural tourism and touristic culture

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Wira Rafting Bali

Bali River Rafting & Adventure Activities Tour Agency

The Ultimate Guide to Bali Cultural Tourism: Explore Iconic Temples and Traditional Villages

Bali is a cultural treasure in Indonesia known worldwide as the Island of the Gods. It is a treasure trove of religious rituals, art conservation, and traditional villages. This page provides a comprehensive guide to exploring Bali cultural tourism, from iconic Balinese Hindu temples to traditional villages and other cultural highlights that make Bali a popular destination among international travelers.

Bahasa Indonesia, Panduan Wisata Budaya Bali .

An Introduction to Bali’s Art and Cultural Attractions

A. besakih temple: the largest sacred site in bali, b. tanah lot temple: iconic seaside attraction, c. uluwatu temple: captivating cliff views and kecak fire dance, d. lempuyang temple: the gateway of heaven, e. ulun danu beratan temple: peaceful lake beratan, a. penglipuran village: uniform houses and pristine environment, b. trunyan village: unique burial traditions of the bali aga community, c. tenganan village: home of the gringsing woven cloth, a. ubud art market: hub for souvenir shopping, b. fire kecak dance performance, c. sukawati art market: oldest market selling balinese souvenirs, d. barong and legong dance, e. mekare-kare: pandan war showcasing balinese courage, f. bali arts festival: a grand celebration of art and culture, a. dress code, b. local customs and habits, c. respecting religious processions and ceremonies, conclusion: the ultimate bali cultural tourism guide.

Arts and culture are deeply incorporated into the daily life of Balinese people. From distinctive motifs on traditional Balinese woven fabrics and religious ceremonies to the splendid architecture of Hindu temples, Balinese culture offers a deep understanding of a lifestyle rich in spiritual and artistic values. Therefore, when you visit Bali, seizing the opportunity to immerse yourself in Balinese art and culture is necessary.

1. Temples: An Inside Look into Balinese Spiritual Culture

Bali is renowned for its myriad of temples scattered across the island, each providing a unique glimpse into the profound spirituality of the Balinese people.

Furthermore, Besakih Temple is the leading and most significant Hindu temple in Bali, located on the slopes of Mount Agung . Besakih is an area of the temple complex consisting of 23 temple shrines, with the Penataran Agung Temple at the center.

Tanah Lot is one of the temples you must visit while vacationing in Bali . This temple is on a large rock in the middle of the sea. Tanah Lot Temple is famous as a tourist destination because it offers a unique temple location and sunset views.

On another page on this site, I have written about the beauty of the Tanah Lot sunset view , which you can read by clicking the link. In addition, every tourist who visits will pay for an entry

ance ticket to the Tanah Lot tourist attractions .

Uluwatu Temple is located at the top of a high cliff, and visitors can see beautiful views of the Indian Ocean from the temple location.

Furthermore, what you should not miss when visiting Uluwatu Temple is watching the Kecak Fire dance held every day at sunset. The Uluwatu Kecak dance tells the story of the Ramayana epic against a gorgeous sunset as a backdrop. Ordering online is the best way to get affordable ticket prices for the Uluwatu Kecak dance .

Many tourists who have visited the Uluwatu temple say that this sacred place on a cliff is one of the finest sites to see the sunset in Bali . In addition, every visitor who enters the tourist area will pay an entrance ticket to Uluwatu Temple.

Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple , located in the highlands of the East Bali tourist area, is one of the oldest Hindu temples and has an essential role in Bali.

Tourists know Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple as the ‘Gate to Heaven’ because a gate within the temple frames a view of Mount Agung.

Please note that Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple and Luhur Lempuyang Temple are different holy places in the same complex.

If you only want to visit the “Gate of Heaven,” you will visit the Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple. On the other hand, if you see the Lempuyang Luhur temple, you must climb 1,700 steps and pass through a lush forest.

If you are interested in visiting the Gate of Heaven, it’s a good idea to find out about holiday guides & entrance tickets to Pura Lempuyang Karangasem Bali .

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple , located on the edge of Lake Beratan Bedugul , Tabanan Bali. Visitors who have a vacation to Lake Beratan will get a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful natural scenery. Also, Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, from a distance, looks like it is floating on the surface of the lake water, so it looks unique and enchanting.

Adjacent to Lake Beratan, there is a popular family tourist spot; the site’s name is Bedugul Bali Botanical Garden .

2. Traditional Village Tourism: Experience the Authentic Balinese Lifestyle & Culture

A visit to Bali offers more than picturesque beaches and temple sights. Exploring traditional villages to experience the indigenous culture is highly recommended.

Furthermore, Penglipuran Village is one of the traditional villages in Bali which has managed to maintain its traditional customs and architecture. As you enter the inner area of the village, you will see traditional houses that look very similar.

Residents construct their homes from natural materials and immaculately maintain the village environment. So that when you visit, you will get a brief overview of the life of Penglipuran villagers. Furthermore, if you want to see this traditional village, finding information on Penglipuran village entrance fees is a good idea.

Trunyan Village , located on the shores of Lake Batur Kintamani , is famous for its unique burial traditions and is very different from other areas in Bali.

The Bali Aga in Trunyan Village places the bodies on the lake’s edge in a particular area. The community places bodies on the ground, unburied. Surprisingly, the bodies do not smell, and local beliefs attribute this lack of scent to the Taru Menyan tree.

All of the above will make you see a different culture from most of the Balinese in general.

The location of Tenganan Village is in the hilly area of Karangasem district, a tourist area in the eastern part of Bali . The residents of Tenganan Village are the Bali Aga people, who had settled in Bali before the arrival of the people from the Majapahit kingdom .

Apart from that, Tenganan Village Karangasem is famous for its unique woven cloth called ‘Geringsing.’ When you visit Tenganan village, you can witness local artisans weaving Gringsing cloth .

Furthermore, Tenganan Village is also famous for the architecture of the villagers’ buildings which look unique. Cobblestone dirt roads line the houses, with walls of clay encircling them.

Additional Highlights of Bali Cultural Tourism

Besides natural beauty and temple architecture, Bali cultural tourism offers a unique cultural experience, from art markets selling handicrafts to traditional dance performances.

Ubud Art Market is one of the spots where you can go to purchase Balinese souvenirs. Available from silver jewelry to wood carvings and paintings by local artisans. So, you can effortlessly find souvenirs from your holiday trip to Bali.

The location of the Ubud art market is very strategic because it is close to Ubud Royal Palace , Monkey Forest Ubud , and Taman Saraswati Temple .

Watching the Kecak dance performance is essential if you are interested in Balinese art and culture. There are many locations to watch Kecak dance performances in Bali, such as Tanah Lot Temple, Batubulan village, Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park , and Uluwatu Temple.

This market is a selling zone for local art and the oldest market selling Balinese souvenirs. Most tourists looking for affordable souvenirs will visit the Sukawati art market .

When visiting this market, you will find various handicrafts, such as traditional fabrics, silver jewelry, and Balinese knick-knacks. In addition, the Sukawati Art market is close to the location of family and children’s tourist attractions, the Bali Zoo , and the Bali Bird Park .

Besides the Kecak dance, Balinese dance performances such as the Barong and Legong attract visitors. The Barong Dance takes a narrative about the fight between good (Barong) and evil (Rangda). Meanwhile, the Legong Peliatan Ubud dance performed by youthful girls tells the story of an ancient Javanese kingdom.

Meanwhile, there are many locations in Bali to watch Barong and Legong dance performances, most of which are in the tourist area of Ubud Bali .

Mekare-Kare, or the Pandan War , is a unique tradition of the residents of Tenganan Village Karangasem. A ceremonial dueling ritual takes place every year. In the dueling ceremony, village men will fight each other using weapons made from thorny pandan leaves.

The Bali Arts Festival is a yearly event showcasing Balinese culture and artistic talent. It includes art shows, cultural performances, craft markets, and food experiences.

Local artists use this festival to present their work to visitors. The festival’s opening ceremony typically features a parade or carnival, which the President of Indonesia usually opens. Also, if you’re visiting in June, you definitely should not miss the opening parade of this festival.

Travel Guide to Experience Bali Cultural Tourism

When you explore Bali’s unique art and culture, knowing a few essential things is a good idea. The following are some of my recommendations and suggestions to ensure that your visit provides a positive experience for you and the local community:

When visiting temples in Bali, it’s a good idea to dress modestly. I suggest you use a top and sarong tied with a scarf in the waist area. In addition, most of Bali’s tourist attractions provide visitors with sarongs and shawls.

If you want more details about the holiday dress code guide to temples in Bali , I have written it on this site.

In Bali, certain traditions are essential to understand. Here are a few:

• Always use your right hand when giving or taking something. The left hand is viewed as less holy.
• Also, don’t touch someone’s head without asking first. It’s seen as disrespectful.
• As local customs deem it inappropriate, women should avoid entering temples during menstruation.

Furthermore, if you vacation in Bali and encounter a procession or religious ceremony, respect the event by avoiding disturbances or interruptions.

Engaging in Bali cultural tourism is more than just sightseeing. It’s about enjoying and appreciating the diverse culture that makes Bali unique. If this comprehensive guide to Bali arts and culture tourism has been helpful, please share it on your social media. For suggestions or questions, feel free to comment below.

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About Wayan Suadnyana

Wayan Suadnyana, who writes for Wira Tour Bali, is a specialist in Bali tourism with a degree in Tourism Management from Bali Tourism College (2001). Renowned for his hands-on experience and close relationships with local communities, Wayan delivers genuine Bali narratives in his writings. As a fan of nature and adventure, he delights in activities like whitewater rafting, water sports, and cross-country and road biking. Given his deep understanding of Bali and commitment to its tourism sector, Wayan is a dependable resource for tourists seeking to discover the island.

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Bali Culture Guide

Balinese rich & unique culture & customs, balinese culture is deeply rooted in mystery and history.

Everyone has a past that has made them who they are today. People’s personalities and ways of thinking are shaped by how they were raised and what happened to them in their lives. The same rule applies to Bali. The islands history shapes everything about it, from its land, to its culture to its food.

If you trace Bali’s lineage, you’ll discover that the island’s population are largely descendants of migrants who arrived in the first century CE (mostly Indians, Chinese, and Javanese) and laid the groundwork for Hinduism and Javanese culture by bringing their own customs and beliefs.

Travel experiences are enhanced by cultural understanding

As the years pass, Balinese have continued in many ways to honor and respect their ancestors and the spirit world. They do everything they can, from praying to their gods to wearing ceremonial garb and leaving offerings (Canang Sari) for the gods, to maintain harmony.

We invite you to check out the articles in the section below “Bali Culture Guide” to learn more about the “Island of the Gods” and get ready for a journey you’ll never forget.

Explore bali's culture.

Bali is called the island of a thousand temples. Which is an understatement. Explore Bali's most important temples

Traditional Dances

An important and still relevant aspect of Bali's vibrant culture and traditions

Balinese Cremation

A Journey into the Afterlife

Bali Volcanos

Sacred, Majestic, Active

Arts & Handicrafts

Painting, Jewelry, wood & stone carving, furniture & decoration

Balinese Hinduism

Balinese Hinduism is practiced by more than 80% of the population. The rituals and customs are kept alive even during the rise of globalism and mass tourism.

Balinese History & People

The historical background of Bali is very interesting since it is the last remaining Hindu Island in Indonesia.

Protectors in the Sky

The Balian Healer

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Balinese Architecture

Palaces, Temples (pura) and traditional domestic houses are built on the principles of a sacred area.

Balinese Names

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Balinese Calendar

Hindu and Javanese Heritage. The moon dominates all aspects

Nyepi - Balinese New Year

The day of Total Silence. Mystical.

Subak Irrigation System

Balinese complex and fascinating irrigation system

Tooth Filing Ceremony

Mandatory part of Balinese Life

Gamelan Orchestra

Traditional Music and Instruments

An essential element of Balinese life to cleanse, heal, provide

Main religious festivals.

There is always something to celebrate

Melasti Ceremony

Cleansing & Purifying for Nyepi

Temple "Anniversary" Celebrations

Banten - for the delight of the Gods

Wayang Kulit

Puppet Shadow Play - Traditional storytelling of Hindu myths and epics

Balinese Caste System

Hierarchies within the Balinese Society

I Gusti Ngurah Rai

The Legacy of Puputan

Bali’s Culture is Rich, Unique, Alive and stunningly Beautiful

Learning even the basics of Balinese culture will help you make sense of the many things you experience during your stay. To put it simply, this greatly improves the quality of your island experience.

Of course, the more we know about a destination and its people when we travel the better we can comprehend what is going on all around us and therefore appreciate on a deeper level what we experience. The world around you will become more clear, and you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for it. You can experience Bali’s culture from the stone age to the modern era in just a few days.

It’s in everything: the air you breathe, the sea, the mountains, the villages, the people, the art, the architecture, even the way locals greet you with a smile. The Balinese way of life and the power of nature will make this abundantly clear to you.

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8 Awesome Cultural Things to do in Bali

Last Updated: March 30, 2021

*FYI - this post may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase from them. Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Check out our Privacy Policy and Disclosure. for more info.

This list of cultural things to do in Bali was created in partnership with the Indonesia Ministry Tourism, who welcomed me to their country as part of their #TripOfWonders campaign.

I think it’s safe to say, there’s no place on earth like Bali.

I mean, when a single island has thieving monkeys to tame, volcanos to climb, waves to surf and temples to explore, ‘boredom’ is a word that quickly escapes the vocabulary.

And regardless of your traveling persuasion – whether you’re in search of IG-perfect snapshots, belt-loosening cuisine or a chance to get the adrenaline pumping, Bali offers itself up as a buzzing paradise for unforgettable experiences.

Beyond the island’s clear aesthetic beauty though, I’d say some of Bali’s most incredible wonders are its  cultural ones. After getting a quick intro to Balinese culture last month with the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism , I’ve been hooked on the idea of coming back to fully experience it all…

That’s why I’ve put together a Bali culture bucket list for you guys, featuring a few of the awesome cultural things to do in Bali I got to try, alongside my future to-dos. Enjoy!

PS: You might also like this roundup of islands to visit in Indonesia besides Bali.

Save this list of cultural things to do in Bali for later!

You’ll be very glad you did.

1. Say hello to royalty at Ubud Palace

One of the best things to do in Bali is definitely heading to Ubud, and Ubud Palace is one of the top cultural must-sees here in Bali’s spiritual epicentre.

As the official home of the Ubud royal family (yup, England isn’t the only place known for its royals!), a visit here is a chance to feel like royalty yourself… and maybe meet a few members of the family too if you’re lucky.

While there are some parts of the palace off-limits to visitors, eager explorers are still able to stop by and explore the palace’s gorgeous tangle of ornate courtyards, gardens and gates.

During our trip, we got to meet the royal family of Ubud and enjoy a little tea time, play dress-up in traditional attire, enjoy an adorable dance performance and gawk at a live ‘how it’s made’ demo of traditional offerings.

A truly special place to visit!

2. Be wow’d by the Kecak Fire Dance at Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple is famous for a lot of things – delinquent monkeys, unbeatable views and of course, the rhythmic clatter of the Kecak dance, which I assure you, will be stuck in your head for weeks and even months after.

Each day at sunset, hundreds of people gather at Uluwatu Temple to catch the world-famous kecak fire dance show, which combines dance, acapella, fire and some theatrical flair for a seriously unforgettable performance unique to Bali culture.

The performance itself features highlights from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, which has its fair share of twists, turns and my personal favourite – drama for days. Enjoying one of these shows is a quintessential Bali experience, and one that I highly recommend adding to your list!

NOTE: The kecak fire dance is definitely no secret, so expect huge crowds (like in the photo below). Tickets must be purchased in person, so be sure to get there early, or consider booking a tour to avoid the hassle of securing tickets/spots for yourself. Here are some affordable options.

3. Go temple hopping

With a nickname like “Island of the Gods”, it’s a no-brainer that one of the best Bali things to do is visit temples.

Like India , Bali has lot  of temples (or  pura, as they’re known on the island).

There are literally thousands to choose from, making temple hopping one of the top cultural things to do in Bali.

Stuck on where to begin?

Here are a few popular temple highlights to include in your Bali culture bucket list:

Bathe in holy water at Pura Tirta Empul – One of the most important water temples in Bali, with its sacred springs filled with holy water that are said to boast magical, purifying properties. The best way to test this of course, is to try it for yourself!

Explore the ‘Mother Temple of Bali’, the Pura Besakih – A grand temple complex found 900m above ground on Mount Agung in Eastern Bali. Considered one of Bali’s holiest places (though extremely well-known and touristy).

Enjoy the picturesque Pura Taman Ayun –  With a name that literally means “beautiful garden”, this majestic temple complex in Mengwi is known for its spectacular beauty – from towering pagodas and tranquil courtyards to picture-perfect lotus ponds.

Take a peek at the beautiful (but small) Pura Ulun Danu – Set atop Lake Beratan, Bali’s second largest lake, this humble temple is like a picturesque little dream. It may not be as grand as other temples in Bali, but it’s definitely one of the island’s most beautiful.

4. Learn to cook at a Balinese cooking class

Can we really talk about culture without discussing food?

Especially in a place where the grub is so delectably world-renowned… I think the answer is a clear no.

I’ve eaten my way around a lot of foodie destinations, like Bologna in Italy and Lyon in France, but Bali will always have my heart thanks to its sheer variety.

And sure, while Bali these days caters to a wide variety of tourist palettes, (with a fair share of international options wherever you go), it would still be a real shame to miss out on Balinese cuisine…  especially if you don’t learn how to bring it home for yourself.

But while a suitcase full of Nasi Goreng does sounds quite scrumptious, there’s a better way to bring Balinese cuisine home… by indulging in a traditional cooking class.

There are plenty of options to try this all around the island. Click here to browse a few different choices!

5. Enjoy Balinese art at the Agung Rai Museum of Art

While in Bali, another important cultural to-do is to check out the island’s art scene.

My pick? The Agung Rai Museum of Art in Ubud, which is devoted to the showcase, preservation and development of Balinese art and culture.

It’s a beautiful museum, curated with plenty of pieces from the gorgeously detailed to the confusing and contemporary.

It’s a fun rainy day activity, and when weather permits, its gardens a worthwhile visit as well. Hey, I mean if it’s good enough for Barack Obama…

Feeling artsy? There are plenty of other museums to visit too. Check here for a great list.

6. Catch a Balinese Gamelan show

No sound is more synonymous with Indonesia than Gamelan, and quite fittingly, Gamelan is a crucial and important piece of Balinese culture as well.

Gamelan is a type of traditional music that is often heavy on percussion, relying on an ensemble of various instruments (from xylophones to bamboo flutes) to produce layers of beautiful, rhythmic goodness.

Does it sound complicated? That’s because it is. In fact, Gamelan was once named the most complicated music in the world.

So, if you find yourself in Bali, don’t miss your chance to watch a Gamelan “orchestra” in action!  Here’s an article on where to find these shows around the island.  This is hands down one of the best fun things to do in Bali for a first-timer.

7. Get muddy and engage in some Mepantigan

While not the most traditional cultural activity in the world, why not give Mepantigan a try?

This phenomenon is quickly gaining popularity among visitors to Bali for one simple reason: it’s mud wrestling with a cultural twist… which means yes, you have a lovely excuse to drag someone in mud (all in the name of cultural enrichment).

Mepantigan is a form of Balinese martial arts that blends fighting with performing arts, all while relying on muddy venues rice fields and beaches. As far as cultural experiences in Bali go, they don’t get much more hands on than this.

Think of it as a lively spectacle involving plenty of throwing and rolling around in mud, all while dressed up in traditional Balinese attire. Bonus points: your brawl soundtrack is often the rhythmic sound of a gamelan orchestra.

8. Make it rain rupiah at a local market

Last but not least, as many travellers know, markets tend to be where you get a sense of a destination’s local heartbeat, and Bali of course is no exception.

Marketing hopping is one Bali cultural experience you can’t miss!

From bustling food markets where you can eat your weight in street foods, to vibrant markets peddling colourful clothing, trinkets, souvenirs and more, there’s no better way to immerse yourself in a local environment and get some precious face time with locals (even if that means haggling for your ten batik scarves).

I hope you enjoyed this guide to Balinese culture and cultural things to do in Bali!

With a seemingly endless parade of cultural experiences in Bali, this magical island is truly magical. I know that this list barely scrapes the surface, so I’m turning to you for help!

Tell me: what did I miss for this Bali Culture Bucket List? Let me know in the comments! 

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6 thoughts on “8 Awesome Cultural Things to do in Bali”

I’m quite sure I’ve done ONE of these when I went to Bali when I was younger – but I don’t remember any of it. Great list, I’ll make sure to experience at least a few of these when I go back. The Mepantigan sounds like fun! – Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog https://charmainenyw.com

Right?! That one is my favourite too hahah. Thanks for reading, Charmaine!

Thank you for this post… very informative. I will be headed that way for the whole month of September 2018 and I am compiling a list of things to do. Then I will pick the most interesting probably the month before. There are a couple things in this article that I will be doing for sure.

Hi Todd Geans if you want to go to Bali a lot of Balinese cultures that you can find and also many interesting places that you will get like in Bedugul and the most popular now is Nusa Penida which is often called “the egg of Bali”

Hi Christina Guan The article is very informative, many tourists to Bali want to know the unique culture in Bali, apart from the unique culture of Bali people will also be very friendly to tourists and very tolerant in religious life.

As I live in Bali, I must say that you’ve suggested really awesome cultural things.

Education About Asia: Online Archives

Beyond cultural tourism: experiencing the arts in bali.

Music, dance, theater, and arts and crafts are important parts of Balinese culture. Their ceremonial nature reflects the multiple layers of Balinese Hindu religious practices and philosophies within the complex social-cultural structure of Balinese society. The inseparable relationships among these arts provide a vivid soundscape and landscape for students to experience the functions of arts in a living environment. Since the early twentieth century, Bali has been staged for the consumption of cultural tourists wishing to increase their knowledge by exploring the exotic traditions of the tropical island. Gradually, the Balinese have commercialized their performing arts and shifted their social religious functions to secular economic ones.

Believing that tourism helps support the traditional arts, social and cultural anthropologist Philip F. McKean suggests that such a shift “has reinforced a sense of boundary maintenance among the Balinese between what they do for themselves and what they do for their visitors.” 1 How to guard this boundary to maintain the essential values of Balinese traditions and keep alive the island’s renowned status as a living museum remains a dilemma among governmental agencies, religious leaders, artists, and merchants, but many believe that it can be solved by attracting tourists and using the income to foster Balinese culture. As a result of the impact of cultural tourism, the establishment of the sanggar (a private home studio) and its accessibility to tourists have replaced the banjar’s (village) traditional role as the cultural center to provide art activities for education and entertainment. Although criticized as an individualistic deviation from the traditional communal lifestyle, some Balinese sanggar have become effective cultural agencies that help tourists roam between boundaries to acquire knowledge and create a win-win situation for both parties.

My collaboration with Sanggar Manik Galih in a three-week study abroad course in 2014, sponsored by Northern Illinois University, created an opportunity for our students to have a more in-depth studythan simply observing cultural practices. Through a contextualized learning experience in which performing arts were an essential part, we were allowed to go further, either as passively witnessing observers or as actively practicing participants, into the many cultural layers strictly defined by their animistic religious purposes. Unique to Balinese Hinduism, these purposes are daily demonstrated not only by offerings and prayers, but also by gamelanmusic and dance drama, all of which we observed and eventually practiced.

We began this learning as tourists and outsiders, but gradually developed into participants, furtherinside traditional Balinese culture than we had originally been. Immersing ourselves in the community and intimately interacting with local people allowed us to roam between what ethnomusicologist Peter Dunbar-Hall defines as “boundaries,” sites where tourists are restricted, and “frontiers,” sites where they are allowed “entry to levels of insider experience and potential knowledge.” 2 With the help of culture bearers to explain the context and significance of ceremonial events, tourists may penetrate multiple frontiers where music, dance, and theater are always inseparable from religious meanings. Using Dunbar-Hall’s definitions, in what follows, I highlight selected activities to explain how our roles shifted from tourists to participants and how such a transformation deepened our knowledge about this living culture.

Understanding this transformation requires knowledge of the structure of the traditional pura (Balinese temple), jeroan (innermost courtyard), jaba tengah (middle courtyard), and jaba (outer courtyard) (see Figure 1). Classified by their unique religious functions, these divisions are associated with various types of entertainment according to their degree of sacredness: wali, bebali, and balih-balihan. Wali, “the offering or ritual ceremony,” is the sacred entertainment for the gods in the innermost courtyard. Bebali, the accompaniment to ritual or ceremony but not the ritual itself, is the entertainment for the participants in the middle courtyard; and balih-balihan, “that which is watched,” is the entertainment for the public, vendors, and tourists in the outer courtyard. 3 I use this classification metaphorically to explain how the immersive curriculum allowed us to literally move from the outer courtyard to the middle courtyard and temporarily to the innermost courtyard. This transformation from observers to participants in ritual ceremonies and performance enabled us first to “watch” as tourists and later to “be watched” as part of the village. Our transformation also allowed us to penetrate more deeply into Balinese culture firmly defined by their religious and social functions. A journey of roaming in between these boundaries and frontiers of the secular and sacred had thus begun!

Balih-Balihan

We attended a kecak, the mistakenly called “monkey chant” trance dance that no tourists would miss. The “Kecak Fire and Trance Dance” brochure promised an authentic experience, an exotic extravaganza of singing, dancing, acting, and fighting embedded in a dreamlike animistic atmosphere, concluded by a tari jarang sanhyang (horse trance dance) in which a “horse” dancer repeatedly ran through flames until he collapsed. When he recovered, the horrified and sympathetic tourists, convinced of their “authentic experience,” patted and tipped him.

But was it really an “authentic experience” or merely a packaged tourist program? Created for Westerners in the 1930s by German artist Walter Spies and his Balinese friends who had practiced the centuries-old sanghayng exorcism rituals, 4 this show, as anthropologist James Clifford recognizes, is an illustration of how folklore, once an integral part of a culture, becomes an exotic tourist novelty. 5 In a lecture at the sanggar, we learned that kecak was a form of “gamelan suara” in which the chorus vocally imitates traditional gamelan elements to create repetitive interlocking phrases. We also learned the epic Ramayana stories in which kecak is embedded, including its animistic ritual significance, many variations, and its historical development as a performance genre. Going beyond what we were presented as tourists, we understood more in this contextualized learning.

Gradually going futher, we entered a deeper level of balih-balihan at a village cockfight. In contrast to kecak, sabunganis not for tourists but only for the villagers. Originally part of a religious ritual, cockfights are now banned by the Indonesian government, because, as cultural anthropologist Clifford Geertz explains, they are associated with gambling and seem “primitive, backward, and unprogressive,” a huge embarrassment to a modern country’s image. 6 Geertz studied the cultural significance of this all-male event, analyzed the cock’s symbolic male power, the fight, and the complex mechanism of the historical and cultural contexts of the gambling rules. Several decades later, as we stepped into the outer courtyard of a village temple to watch a cockfight, I felt the images in Geertz’s writings had come alive. This experience, another level of bali-balihan, allowed us to understand what the official Balinese tourist agency would not want the tourists to see.

From Balih-Balihan to Bebali

Progressing to the next level of exploration, we joined the villagers to observe an important ritual, Ngaben, a cremation ceremony involving the collective resources of many families. “The most expensive ritual to enact in Balinese society,” this ceremony is rarely changed because of the Balinese desire “to correctly perform the ritual according to tradition and religious teachings . . . to honor and aid the dead.” 7 It is neither entertainment nor “a staged” performing art like kecak. But the extravagant procedure that involves countless individuals making offerings, playing music, and carrying fancy high towers in a long procession has attracted many tourists. Our participation in the ceremony can be described metaphorically as bebali because we watched the spectacle that the village organized to mark the end of the deceased’s physical life properly. Invited by our family friends, we witnessed the funeral of a local priest who had to be cremated within seven days of his death. Informed that this was a formal ritual, we had to put on our traditional outfits, pakaian adat(temple clothes). We joined the procession accompanied by gamelan angklung, typical funeral music, and followed the tower, a temporary housing of the body and the soul, in the procession. We walked with the villagers to the cremation ground where we witnessed the ceremony.

The puzzling religious symbolism was explained by a village elder, the head of the sanggar. The cremation of the body, consisting of the same five elements as the universe—earth, fire, water, air, and ether—releases the soul; the scattering of the ashes in water completes this release and purification by returning the five elements to the universe. To outsiders, this last step seems to have completed the funeral process, but we were told that the soul still had to return to the family temple to join the ancestors. So we acquired essential knowledge with the help of the culture bearers in the village, not only about this ceremony itself but also about its cosmological principles to which the Balinese strictly adhere to maintain a well-balanced harmony between the visible and the invisible.

With many such invitations from our Balinese family and the village, we continued to push the cultural boundaries to other levels, where we shared many more of their experiences and knowledge at weddings and temple festivals. These experiences collectively helped us understand the role of the individual in the highly collaborative structure of Balinese society. A communal lifestyle that values the group above the individual and is still practiced by contemporary Balinese society was demonstrated to us especially on ceremonial occasions that require the intensive work of the community. 8 By observing all these activities and sometimes even participating in a few of them, we were accepted as part of the family and the community, and were proud of being allowed to do gotong royong (communal work) with them. Such acceptance psychologically enabled us to go to an even further level of “bebali,” one that transformed us from observers into participants. Instead of observing the entertainment, we became the entertainers.

Beyond Bebali?

By practicing for an average of six hours daily for fifteen days for our gamelan and dance performance at a temple festival, we learned the intimate connection between these arts and the spiritual realm. Using the traditional oral approach, we learned to play the gamelan angklung, the slendro -derived (four-tone musical pentatonic scale) gamelan that accompanies temple festivals and processions. One phrase after another, mistake after mistake, we repeated the melodies until we had memorized everything. This oral tradition, how Balinese typically learn music, not only sharpened our aural skills but also helped us understand the intimate relationship between music and the other performing arts, dance, and drama. To the Balinese, music is alive only when it is connected with the human soul and spirits; this is the first lesson we learned, the most elementary level of performance in Balinese tradition. By practicing tirelessly to master the music and the dance, we improved our skills. By comprehending the cultural significance of the music through which we enriched the drama of the dance, we learned their religious purposes and social functions, and all the expected etiquette. Disciplined and concentrating, we mastered the program for the performance and looked forward to an exciting spiritual experience of aesthetic enjoyment. On the day of our performance, along with other musicians, dancers, and the village crew, we dressed in our pakaian adat and in the inner courtyard knowledgeably participated in a prayer ceremony asking for purification, blessing, and enlightenment. This experience, observed by many tourists from outside the temple, made me realize that we had just become “that which is watched,” pushing our tourists’ boundaries further toward the frontier. An example to illustrate the difference between tourists and ourselves occurred when during the preconcert rehearsal, an American identifying himself as a musician jumped up on the stage and invited himself to play. But I told him it was impossible: he had not studied everything that we had for two weeks to prepare for this performance.

The goal of our program was to help students understand the unique Balinese arts, their social functions, and the intricate balance between Balinese traditions and the encroachment of the modern world. With the villagers, we lived in the banjar, a perfect setting to study Balinese music, dance, and crafts. With the help of the sanggar, we actively participated in several ritual ceremonies and daily offerings, and performed at a temple festival, the cultural experiences inseparable from music making in Bali. Thus, we studied music as culture.

Although culture as a complex whole cannot be easily acquired and quickly internalized by outsiders, an intensive learning experience to study music, dance, and art in an open lab like Bali proved to be effective in helping us fulfill this goal. We soaked up the intrinsic values and institutions of the culture, and by gradually shifting our roles from observers to participants and changing from tourists (those who watch) into entertainers (those who are watched), we were able to share with the local Balinese the important values of their beliefs and customs through our behaviors. By displaying our respect for these values, we earned their trust. And the stronger our mutual trust became, the more we were encouraged to continually push their boundaries and penetrate further frontiers. I know that our changes did not turn us into Balinese; but if asked “how far did we go?” on this trip, I would be very proud to answer, “Far beyond tourism.”

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1. Philip F. McKean, “Cultural Involution: Tourists, Balinese, and the Process of Modernization in an Anthropological Perspective” (PhD dissertation, Brown University, 1973), 1, quoted in Michel Picard, “Cultural Tourism in Bali: Cultural Performances as Tourist Attraction,” Indonesia 49, 38.

2. Peter Dunbar-Hall, “Culture, Tourism and Cultural Tourism: Boundaries and Frontiers in Performances of Balinese Music and Dance, ” in Ethnomusicology: A Contemporary Reader, ed. Jennifer Post (New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2006), 56.

3. I. Wayan Dibia, Taksu: In and Beyond Arts (Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Kanisius Printing, 2012), 10–11.

4. I. Wayan Dibia and Rucina Ballinger, A Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali: Balinese Dance, Drama, and Music(Hong Kong: Tuttle Publishing, 2004).

5. James Clifford, The Predicament of Culture: Twentieth-Century Ethnography, Literature, and Art (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988), 222, 223.

6. Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (New York: Basic Books, 1973), 414.

7. Frank R. Chappell, Selling of Your Relatives. The Impact of Cultural Tourism on Balinese Ritual Life, 63, accessed May 10, 2016, http://tinyurl.com/jgz7fvp .

8. Clifford Geertz, Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretive Anthropology (New York: Basic Books, 1983), 167–234.

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Bali: Cultural Tourism and Touristic Culture Paperback – March 1, 1998

• Print length 288 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Editions Didier Millet
• Publication date March 1, 1998
• Dimensions 6 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• ISBN-10 9813018941
• ISBN-13 978-9813018945
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Editions Didier Millet (March 1, 1998)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9813018941
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9813018945
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Wander-Lush

Bali Culture Guide: 5 Meaningful Experiences for Visitors

Experience Bali beyond the beach clubs and surf breaks. Here are 5 easy ways visitors can get acquainted with Bali culture.

About the author: Mal from Raw Mal Roams is a Polish/British solo female traveller and content creator. She has been living in Bali since 2020 and is here today to share her insights into Bali culture.

Bali, with its tormenting natural beauty, is often referred to as ‘the island of the gods’. Sights like imposing cliffs, alluring beaches, lush rice terraces and hidden waterfalls are not uncommon on the island.

Yet, Bali is not only about the incredible nature – it also has a unique history and culture . Taking the time to understand this beautiful island on a deeper level will enrich your trip to Bali immensely.

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

A snapshot of Bali 

Bali is dominated by Hinduism, first brought to the island by Indian vendors in the 7th century. When the rest of Indonesia converted to Islam during the 16th century, Bali became a haven for intellectuals and artists. In this way, the island solidified its Hindu culture.

The first foreign visitors from Europe arrived at the end of the same century in search of spices. At the end of the 18th century, Bali ended up as a Dutch colony and remained that way until the end of World War II when Indonesia regained its independence.

In the 70s, Bali received its first influx of Australian tourists after a surfing documentary was filmed on the island. In the early 2000s, several terrorist attacks severely damaged the tourism industry.

But just a few years later, especially after the Hollywood movie Eat, Pray and Love starring Julia Roberts was released, Bali was back on the bucket list for travellers.

Omnipresent Balinese culture

Bali is steeped in culture, from the island’s many temples to hotel lobbies decorated with ornaments. The culture is also present in the daily lives of the local people who often wear traditional outfits, attend ceremonies, and leave daily offerings on every street corner.

Life in Bali involves adhering strictly to the local calendar called Saka . Nothing happens on a random day – whether it’s a visit to the dentist or a wedding. A consultation with the local priest is required to find a ‘good day’ for important life activities in order to avoid bad luck.

5 ways tourists can experience Bali culture

There are various activities tourists are welcome to undertake to experience fascinating Balianese culture. Here are just a few.

1. Attend a water cleansing ritual at Tirta Empul

One of the best places in Bali to experience the island’s vibrant culture is Ubud, which is considered to be the cultural capital. Adding a cleansing ritual to your Ubud itinerary is a must for any traveller who’s interested in experiencing local tradition firsthand.

The water cleansing ritual has a deep and important significance in Balinese Hindu culture. Local people visit places including Tirta Empul regularly, especially during major celebrations, and perform this ritual to cleanse their souls from any negative elements and to gain energy and inspiration for their daily lives.

Balinese people believe that the spring water at Tirta Empul has healing properties. Legend says there was a king that did not believe in Hinduism and disallowed his subjects from practising the religion.

That infuriated god Indra who sent his troops to punish the king. The king poisoned the god’s men, and Indra created a magical pool to heal them. After this event, the king became a devoted believer.

Foreign tourists are welcome to participate in the cleansing ritual . The entrance to Tirta Empul costs around 50K IDR ($3.5). Visitors are expected to cover their knees and shoulders. If you don’t have suitable clothes, the temple rents out sarongs for a small donation.

The purification ritual takes place at the main spring pool. There are changing rooms and lockers where you can safely leave your belongings. Traditional green robes that can be hired for the act of purification.

Once ready, take your place in the line and wait your turn, starting from the left sprout. At every water sprout, you make a prayer, wash your face three times and submerge your head in the cold spring water three times as well. Then, you repeat the process at every sprout, excluding the last two, which are designed for burials.

• Guided option: Receive a water blessing as part of this full-day Bali Cultural Tour .

2. Take part in a Balinese cooking class 

Adding a cooking class to your Bali itinerary is another highly rewarding hands-on way of experiencing the culture.

Balinese cuisine is a mix of various influences coming from different parts of Indonesia as well as China and India. In accordance with Hindu beliefs, beef is rarely consumed, while rice is a staple of the diet. Food is an integral part of religion, where certain dishes are cooked and consumed during important festivals, and other dishes are prepared as part of the offerings made to the gods.

Traditionally a Balinese family would buy food ingredients in the morning at the local market and cook, eat in the late morning, and keep leftovers to consume in the evening.

You can sample traditional Balinese dishes in local restaurants called Warung . Often, one Warung will specialise in a specific dish such as Nasi Campur . Traditional breakfasts and snacks are also sold from small carts that are stationed in one spot on local roads.

The best cooking classes are those hosted by a Balinese family. Guests are first taken to a local market where they get to know the various tropical fruits, vegetables and spices that are also used as remedies in traditional medicine.

Back home, the meal is prepared from starch using traditional techniques such as wood fire-oven while the host talks about daily family life and customs. In the end, everyone gets to enjoy a fresh, mouth-watering meal together.

3. Watch Kecak Dance at sunset in Uluwatu Temple

In Balinese culture, dance is an expression of art and has a deep religious meaning as an act of connecting with gods. Dances are typically performed at religious festivities in temples all over the island.

Dancing heritage is passed from generation to generation, and normally small children – boys and girls – attend lessons to learn the skills. Before the dance, the performers usually pray and give offerings to receive ‘divine inspiration’ from the gods.

Tourists can learn Balinese dances in the villages or at events organised by bigger resort-style hotels. There are many traditional dances, and each tells a different story.

Legong is performed by young girls dressed in beautiful gowns and gold accessories and involves lots of hand gestures and facial expressions. Baris is a warrior’s dance for preparing for battle, while Barong and Kris dance tell a story about the struggle between evil and good.

The most spectacular dance performance to watch in Bali is Kecak , performed at the famous Uluwatu Temple at sunset . Uluwatu sits on a dramatic cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean and makes a perfect backdrop for this awe-inspiring performance.

Kecak dance is performed by a large group of men and boys dressed in traditional sarongs. They chant loudly, raising their hands while sitting in a circle. There is usually a flame in the middle, which looks even more dramatic after the sun sets .

Kecak dance tells the story of Prince Rama fighting an evil king in a desperate attempt to free a kidnapped princess Shinta. In the past, Kecak was one of the trance dances used by men when praying for their ancestors’ souls. Nowadays, there is also a female-led group in Ubud that performs this dance too.

4. Visit Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

For those who want to learn more about Balinese heritage, arts and legendary tales, Garuda Park is an excellent day trip . This cultural park is home to the 120-metre-tall statue of the Hindu god Wisnu sitting on the mythical eagle – the Garuda .

This monument is the most prominent landmark in Bali and the tallest statue of its kind in the world – even taller than Christ the Redeemer!

Garuda is the national emblem of Indonesia and signifies the victory of freedom from oppression, which has special importance to the Indonesian people. 

Garuda Wisnu Park boasts a range of cultural shows that allow spectators to learn more about rich Balinese heritage. Performances include dances that originated from all over Indonesia, folklore shows that tell stories from different historical periods, and Rindik instrumental concerts.

There is also a children’s cinema that shows an animated version of Balinese legends, a museum, a restaurant, another sizeable statue of Wisnu’s upper body, and a lotus pond.

5. Attend a Batik workshop

Batik is an ancient craft that originated in Java. The term Batik comes from the word ‘tik’ , which means ‘to dot’ in Javanese.

The Batik technique involves applying hot wax to silk or cotton before dip-dying the material. The wax blocks the dye, creating patterns. Designs could feature just one layer of wax and one colour, or a complex arrangement with multiple layers of both.

This technique is practised in many different locations in the world, including Malaysia , China and Japan, but Indonesian Batik is considered by many to have the highest level of artistry.

There are various workshops where visitors can learn the basics of Batik. Many are hosted by local artists in Ubud. Students get to use the traditional tools and are shown how to decorate their own piece of cloth, which they can take home as a souvenir .

Bali is one of the most rewarding destinations for culture-inclined tourists . Which of these alternative things to do in Bali catches your eye?

Bali Culture Guide: Share it on Pinterest

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"CULTURAL TOURISM" IN BALI: CULTURAL PERFORMANCES AS TOURIST ATTRACTION

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Tourism industry in Bali has increased significantly since 1970’s. It is supported not only by its stunning nature of Bali but also its fascinating arts and culture. Bali has incredible arts, vibrant culture and unique traditions which have been very famous all over the world. Many people especially foreigners want to see Balinese’s artistic artworks and experience their culture. It motives them to travel to the island which also well known as the island of paradise. Culture has a compelling role in tourism functioning as an internationally promoted commodity, a role that has often been the subject of disputes among academics. Some people consider that the changing of culture become tourist attractions will cause the loss of culture’s authenticity through modification. Many scholars say that cultures that are performed as tourist attraction will lose its originality to adjust the tourist demand. This study aims at analyzing how Balinese arts and culture are packaged as tourism...

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Michael Romanos

Gede Mudana

The intention to revisit a destination usually happens during tourists’ first visit. The decision begins when tourists’ expectations meet the reality in the destination visited, moreover it exceeds the expectations. The main purpose of tourists visit a destination is one of the following: holiday, visiting friends and relatives (VFR), business, education, sports and health, but it may be a combination of them, such as holiday and VFR, holiday and business, etc. In terms of holiday it may include relax, learn and enjoy arts and culture, enjoy nature beauty, and honeymoon. The purpose of this study was to know how Balinese culture affect international tourists revisit Bali. Since Bali is known as cultural tourist destination it is worth to know more deeply. In regard with this study it was found that the number of visit by international repeating-tourists to Bali was as follows: 6 to 9 visits (28%), more than 25 visits (25%), 3 to 5 visits (25%), 14 to 17 visits (10%), 18 to 21 visits...

Proceedings of the Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies (formerly ICCSSIS), ICCSIS 2019, 24-25 October 2019, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia

made indiani

Ni N Y O M A N Triyuni

E-Journal of Tourism

I Nyoman Darma Putra

The contention that Bali has been imagined in the context of tourism and that these images do not necessarily correspond to the realities of the destination is not entirely new. However, what this paper argues is that imaginings have occurred over time and began well before the advent of tourism, before becoming incorporated into a more fully developed and more globally recognised tourism image with many elements of the ‘tourist gaze’. These gazes are not just externally derived, but also owe a lot to local imaginings of what Bali might be, namely the notion that Bali is some kind of heir to the renowned Hindu-Javanese kingdom of Majapahit based in Java. This paper traces the evolution of these images blending earlier reports of seafarers, colonial administrators both Dutch and British, as well as artists who have lived on the island, into the world of the contemporary media-scape.

Zhu, Y. (2023). Performance: Tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham

Performance has been debated extensively in the humanities and social sciences, especially since the 1940s and 1950s when it was associated with the early use of the concept of “play” (Huizinga 1955). In the following decades, performance has become an extremely popular term used to indicate a number of very different activities, including linguistic acts, rituals, and folklore. Performance has been extended far beyond its initial association with theatricality, to be employed more widely to understand human behavior. Instead of focusing solely on given symbolic structures, this subsequent approach assumes that all human practices are performed, and all cultures are performances. This shift – from a metaphor for theatricality to the interpretation of human behavior – has influenced different disciplines, including tourism studies.

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Tourists Invited To Promote Cultural Harmony In Bali

Posted on Published: April 16, 2024

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The Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana literally translates to mean the ‘three causes of well-being’ and focuses on creating complete harmony between the Gods, among people, with nature and the natural world.

Leaders in the tourism sector want to see these principles create more regenerative tourism in the region. 

Speaking at the Water Civilization exhibition at Tirta Empul Temple, close to Ubud, in early April, the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Angela Tanoesoedibj, declared that the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana was one of the most influential elements of cultural capital that can help develop regenerative tourism in Bali. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wonderful Indonesia (@wonderfulindonesia)

In the coming months and years, there will be increasing focus on developing more sustainable and culturally respectful tourism in Bali; Minister Tanoesoedibj wants to go one step further and establish more regenerative tourism.

If sustainable tourism keeps everything as it is, does no harm, and preserves culture and the environment, regenerative tourism does one better.

Regenerative tourism takes a whole systems approach and focuses on creating a net benefit for people, places, and all living beings through tourism. This principle aligns well with the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ＱＵＡＮＴＵＭ ＴＥＭＰLＥ (@quantumtemple)

Minister Tanoesoedibj explained, “When we talk about sustainable tourism, the focus is on doing less harm. But when we talk about regenerative tourism, we want to do more good.”

She wants to see tourism in Bali become more than an economic entity but rather a vehicle for elevating the welfare and well-being of local communities, wildlife, and the natural landscape. 

She added, “Before we got to know the concept of regenerative tourism, Bali had already embraced this concept, Tri Hita Karana.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif (@kemenparekraf.ri)

The Water Civilization Exhibition hosted at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tirta Empul Temple opened in early April and will run through to September.

The project is a collaboration between Quantum Temple and Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Wonderful Indonesia, Manukaya Let Village, Gianyar Regency Tourism Office, and Sui Network.

The exhibition presents a blockchain-based cultural exhibition. In addition to the local and international stakeholders, over 300 young people and creative community groups contributed to creating unique and culturally inspired installations made from bamboo.

The installation efforts were led by two young artists from Tampaksiring Village, Ida Bagus Nyoman Surya Wigenem and I Gusti Ngurah Dalem Rahmadi. 

Visitors can also enjoy the digital elements of the exhibition to learn more about the essence of water in the Balinese civilization and the history of the Tirta Empul Temple.

As part of the project, visitors are also given the opportunity to chat with temple conservationists from Manukaya Let Village to ask any questions they may have about Balinese culture and to gain in-depth knowledge about the spiritual meaning of melukat , which is the Balinese water purification ceremony.

Tirta Empul Temple is the most famous place in Bali, and tourists take part in a water purification ceremony.

Minister Tanoesoedibj said, “We hope that this [kind of project] will not stop here, but that more and more will be accommodated on this platform. And not only in Bali but throughout Indonesia.”

As the instigators of the exhibition, Quantum Temple is on a mission to connect tourists with “living cultural heritage through curated regenerative travel experiences, digital and physical artifacts, and community-led initiatives powered by blockchain technology.”

The Water Civilization Exhibition and the efforts of the Quantum Temple and Indonesian authorities are sentiments felt across the board in Bali.

During the launch of the Permabudi Bali Management Plan 2024-2028, the Chairman of the Bali Religious Harmony Forum, Ida Pangelngsir Agung Putra Sukahet, called for all people in Bali to come together to promote harmony and balance for a secure future. 

Sukahet explained, “Bali really depends on harmony because harmony for both Bali and Indonesia will create peace and security so that presidents, governors, ministers, regents, and mayors can build better.”

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‘Reached its tipping point’: Tourism and sustainability in Bali aren’t a great match

Nestled in the mist-shrouded mountains of northern Bali, organic coffee farmer Putu Ardana is leading the charge to revive traditional farming and protect sacred lands from mass development and tourism.

Ardana, 67, grows, harvests and roasts Arabica beans without chemicals and fertilizers in his village of Munduk, perched 800 metres above sea level. He uses water from nearby Tamblingan Lake — which is sacred to him and other members of the Indigenous Dalem Tamblingan people who first settled around local lakes and forests in the 9th century.

The island province of Bali also lies at the heart of Indonesian tourism. The popular destination accounts for half of the country’s $20-billion annual tourism revenue and the bulk of its tens of millions of visitors. Eighty per cent of the Balinese economy depends on tourism.

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But Ardana believes "tourism should be a side-effect … not our main goal and our way of life.”

Bali’s mass tourism, concentrated in its southern towns, long ago “reached a tipping point,” says Stroma Cole, a University of Westminster lecturer who researches tourism and water in Bali. Over 65 per cent of Bali’s fresh water is funnelled to tourism, which is contributing to a water shortage exacerbated by growing urbanization, recent droughts and climate change. Half the province’s 400 rivers have dried up and experts warn Bali could run out of water in a few years. Local Balinese bear the biggest burden of the water crisis that has jeopardized food security and threatened cultural sites and traditional practices.

In 2017, the Indonesian government designated Munduk as an eco-focused "tourism village," along with six others. But in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jakarta laid out an even more ambitious tourism plan that prioritized attracting millions more tourists and transforming rural villages and ecologically sensitive areas into tourist hot spots like Bali. The government says it will focus on sustainable and inclusive tourism that will prioritize locals and protect the environment. Among the designated tourism locales is Munduk, which highlights the challenges of balancing economic growth and any real, sustained benefits for people and the environment.

Crown jewel and a water crisis

Bali, dotted with lush jungles and white sand beaches, is known as the "crown jewel" of Indonesian tourism. It consistently ranks among the top travel destinations in the world. In 2019, out of the 16 million international tourists who visited Indonesia, six million landed in Bali. Last year, nearly half of the 11.7 million foreign arrivals to the country went to Bali. This year, the island province aims to attract seven million visitors.

Bali’s mass tourism industry has brought economic development. It has grown its GDP tenfold and employs at least one-quarter of the Balinese workforce. It has also helped cultivate a water shortage alongside growing wealth and quality-of-life disparities.

Tourism and #sustainability are not a good mix in #Bali, where water is growing increasingly scarce. #water #FoodSecurity #Indonesia

Balinese tourism relies heavily on foreign investors and local elites who have razed farmland, displaced residents and tapped dwindling groundwater supplies to build water-guzzling luxury villas and resorts. Bali’s tourism-related water demand surged 295 per cent from 1988 to 2013, with the average tourist consuming three times more water than local residents. The province loses roughly 1,850 acres of farmland to tourism annually.

“The island’s tourism continues to boom — but for whom? Bali’s water crisis is so much more than a water shortage. It’s a catastrophe that affects local people’s quality of life, livelihoods and traditional Balinese culture,” says Jaeyeon Choe, a Bournemouth University researcher who studies sustainable tourism and community development in Bali.

Bali’s freshwater aquifers have now dipped to a record low of 20 per cent as water is diverted from rural areas and agriculture to support tourism development, according to research from IDEP Foundation, an Indonesian NGO, and University Politeknik Negeri Bali.

“What scares us … is that we may not have clean water in two, three, or five years,” says Fransiskus Edward Angimony, an IDEP researcher who works with the foundation’s Bali Water Protection program.

Sustainable tourism in the ‘village above the clouds’

Known as the "village above the clouds" with spring-fed waterfalls, Munduk is a critical freshwater source for Bali. Its mountain lakes contribute 35 per cent of the province’s water supply. But the town of 6,000 is also intertwined with Indonesia’s plan to develop “high-quality sustainable tourism” that will attract 40 million visitors by 2025.

Deforestation from illegal logging and land conversion for monoculture crops, like hydrangea flowers, alongside development for tourism purposes, have depleted Munduk’s lakes in recent years. “When I was a child growing up in the 1970s, I saw that our lake waters were still full. Now we have less and less water every year,” says Made Sawika, a Munduk local and the village’s head of tourism. Some locals worry the push toward tourism will repeat south Bali’s mistakes by intensifying water shortages, entrenching inequalities and eroding cultural practices.

Munduk’s land prices and taxes have soared since being tapped as a tourism village, with only a minority of residents benefiting from the changes. “It has brought money to few but is destroying our land and water resources and unique Balinese civilization,” Ardana says.

Residents of Munduk — and other Balinese villages — frequently square off against tourism developers over concerns of water loss and encroachment on ecologically and culturally sensitive sites. “We glorify our water, our forests, and our land. It is our source of life and should be protected,” says 19-year-old Munduk local Diandra Orissa, an Indigenous youth leader who spoke at the COP28 summit in Dubai last year.

Foreign and local investors, in recent years, have obtained state-sanctioned permits to develop tourism sites in Alas Mertajati, the forest area that covers Lake Tamblingan. In 2021, an Indigenous youth-led movement in Munduk stopped one such development over concerns it would destroy native flora and fauna.

“But there are always new [tourism developments] popping up. So much land in Bali has been bought for the purposes of tourism — even when locals have rejected the idea. It shouldn’t be happening in ecologically sensitive areas and especially against the will of the people,” Cole says.

Munduk’s eco-tourism mandate and ecological status means that fish farming and water-based tourism remain forbidden at Lake Tamblingan. Businesses like hotels require special permits for construction. Munduk’s hotels all market themselves as eco-resorts.

Puri Lumbung, a locally owned resort where musician David Bowie once stayed, relies on traditional Balinese architecture rather than air conditioning to cool its 20 villas. The property draws water from designated aquifers and carefully monitors water use. Munduk Moding Plantation, a luxury eco-resort, filters wastewater through gardens, which allows it to reuse the water on its grounds.

Despite these efforts and hotels’ reduction of water usage , “the reality is … if you have more tourists, you need more hotel rooms and you’re using more water,” leaving less for residents, Cole says. “We know that there will be less water in Munduk if we have more hotels,” Sawika says.

Meanwhile, some developers and tourism operators game the system. “Hotels could have six or seven wells where they get water from, but only report two of them to minimize their taxes," says one local business owner who declined to be named.

Local participation and buy-in remain key to Munduk’s water conservation efforts. Munduk locals recently teamed up with the Bali Water Foundation to develop a prototype for water-recharge wells for harvesting rainwater. But even if the project is successful, “the 40-year water cycle means that we can … only see the benefits in 40 years,” Angimony says.

At the same time, community leaders like Ardana have led the charge to protect the village’s land and water sources through advocacy and a return to organic farming: “It offers an alternative income avenue to tourism that also brings awareness of our precious resources and farming heritage,” he says. Community leaders like Ardana have led the charge to return to organic farming — an alternative to tourism that provides an income avenue for locals, “awareness of land and our farming heritage,” he says.

The government is now focusing on its five "Super Priority Zones" of tourism — in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas — that it hopes will become the country’s new Balis. But this plan only “provides an illusion of prosperity while hiding the deeper problem,” Angimony says.

“The government wants to make people believe that Bali … is the [growth] model we should follow. But Bali is not OK. There are so many problems from the mass tourism we created in Bali. We’re not rejecting tourism, but we need a better model.”

This story was reported with support from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

• Contributing writer
• @yvonneylau

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Monitoring and Levy Collection on Foreign Tourists at Goa Gajah, Gianyar: Efforts in Preserving Bali's Culture and Nature

• Update : 30 Apr 2024 14:19

This levy not only provides financial benefits but also directly contributes to regional income. On average, 5-6 thousand foreign tourists pay the Foreign Tourist Levy daily, which then becomes an important contribution to the regional treasury.

Furthermore, the Bali Provincial Government expects an increase in Foreign Tourist Levy in line with various international tourism agendas held in Bali, such as the World Water Forum (WWF) and Women Tourism Asia Pacific.

In this regard, coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Indonesian Embassy, is crucial in socializing this obligation to foreign tourists. Even during the visa application process, tourists are reminded of the importance of paying the Foreign Tourist Levy before visiting Bali.

All tourism stakeholders, including travel agencies, hotels, and tour guides, are asked to support this program by reminding tourists before they arrive in Bali. Checks will also continue to be carried out at various points, including airports and tourist attractions, to ensure tourist compliance.

The Head of the Destination Department of the Gianyar Tourism Office, I Gusti Ngurah Susatia Putera, stated that tourist visits to Goa Gajah reach 1000 people per day, with the majority coming from Europe. Although experiencing a decline during the low season, tourist visits have begun to return to normal, especially due to European tourists' interest in enjoying Bali's cultural richness.

With regular monitoring and levy collection, it is hoped that Bali's tourism will continue to be a source of pride and provide sustainable benefits to the local community and the environment.

• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2016

List of Articles

Monitoring and Levy Collection on Foreign Tourists at Goa Gajah, Gianyar: Efforts in Preserving Bali's Culture and Nature

Following up on the Foreign Tourist Levy Regulation, the Bali Government Tourism Office conducts monitoring at the Uluwatu Tourist Destination.

Starting at the End of March The Bali Provincial Government Holds Inspection of Tourist Levy in Tourism Destinations.

Nyepi, Balinese New Year: Day of Silence

Coming Soon

This exciting feature goes live on the sweetest day of the year – February 14th, 2024!

Love Bali Application as the Implementation of Bali Province Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2023 concerning Levy for Foreign Tourists for the Protection of Balinese Culture and Natural Environment.

Love Exploring

The Must-Try Indigenous Tourism Experiences In North America

Posted: May 1, 2024 | Last updated: May 1, 2024

Supporting First Nations

Indigenous tourism experiences offer exciting insights into the culture, history, beliefs and lifestyle of ancient peoples who have lived in North America for thousands of years. From the frozen Canadian Arctic to the dusty plains of the southwestern United States, across endless plains and awe-inspiring national parks, hundreds of Indigenous-owned travel experiences let visitors truly connect to the land and the proud people who call it home.

Click through the gallery to discover the best Indigenous tourism experiences in the USA and Canada...

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center relates the Squamish people's unique culture, history and customs, which have been passed down through the centuries, from generation to generation, solely by oral traditions. The main museum and galleries showcase the distinctive art and craft which have defined them, from beautiful weaving and intricate regalia to carved house posts and canoes made from cedar. One building reflects a traditional Squamish longhouse, where guides share traditional songs on drums.

Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Saskatchewan, Canada

Set on the flat plains on the outskirts of Saskatoon, the largest city in Canada’s vast Saskatchewan province, Wanuskewin is a multi-award-winning immersion into the remarkable history and culture of the Northern Plains Indigenous peoples. Wanuskewin has been a gathering place and sacred site for more than 6,400 years, making it around 1,900 years older than the Pyramids of Giza. Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to experiences and activities, all of which reveal much about ancient ways of life.

An interactive visitor center lets you discover the secrets of hunting bison and includes Indigenous art displays and traditional dance exhibitions. Sleepovers in tipis are even an option for those who want to fully immerse themselves. Traditional games let kids of all ages understand how children were taught skills to survive the incredibly challenging natural environment. Remarkable exhibits explain how Canada’s longest running archaeological dig within the park has produced hundreds of thousands of artifacts, including 1,000-year-old petroglyphs. Then, more than 3.5 miles of walking trails reveal the remarkable landscape where mighty bison roam to this day.

Huron Village, Quebec, Canada

The storied history of the proud Huron-Wendat Nation is told at Huron Village, an easily accessible and urban Indigenous tourism experience in Canada's Quebec province. Located around 15 minutes from Quebec City, visitors discover how the Iroquoian-speaking nation was established in the 17th century. Storytelling guides take guests on tours which present their beliefs, customs and lifestyles through age-old tales and legends, including the creation of the world. 

Klahoose Wilderness Resort, British Columbia, Canada

The remote and stunning Klahoose Wilderness Resort sits on the lands of the Klahoose people who have lived in the region ‘since time before memory.’ Living on territories rich in land and water resources, their ancestors carefully managed fish and wildlife for future generations. In the 19th century, however, government surveyors restricted them to 10 reserves, greatly limiting their ability to survive or grow and even banning their cultural ceremonies.

Klahoose Resort, British Columbia, Canada

In recent years, their remarkable traditions have been revived; many of which are shared with visitors to this luxurious and sustainable eco-resort, set amidst a pristine wilderness. Guests can view grizzly bears through spring, summer and autumn, spot pods of orcas or join tours of salmon runs led by Indigenous guides. A boat or seaplane is the only option to get there, ensuring utter peace and tranquillity. It's the perfect setting to embrace the land’s natural and supernatural spirits and gifts, with the traditional Klahoose greeting song ringing in your ears.

Arctic Bay Adventures, Nunavut, Canada

Unimaginably vast, Baffin Island is the world’s fifth largest island and home to the Inuit-owned Indigenous tourism business, Arctic Bay Adventures. Sitting amidst jaw-dropping mountains high above the Arctic Circle, Arctic Bay ranks among the top 10 most northerly communities on the planet. The Inuktitut name for Arctic Bay is Ikpiarjuk and today the settlement is home to around 800 people.

Arcitc Bay's packages are designed and led by local Inuit guides, who have unmatched knowledge and experience of the breathtaking landscape. Dog sledding guarantees a remarkable adrenaline rush, while ocean tours include the majestic beauty of icebergs, polar bears and magnificent orca whales. Slightly less active pursuits include learning how to build an igloo or witnessing the Northern Lights dance across the sky. 

Oglala Lakota Living History Village, South Dakota, USA

The Oglala are one of seven tribes of the Lakota people, the majority of whom live on the US’ eighth largest Native American reservation, Pine Ridge. Famed for their fierceness and bravery as legendary warriors, the Lakota tribe today have taken that reputation to become modern warriors, meaning entrepreneurs, activists, scholars and role models. Sitting by the famed landscapes of South Dakota’s Badlands National Park, The Oglala Lakota Living History Village allows them to tell their remarkable history and current day story through expressive song and dance.

Mohawk Cultural Tours, New York, USA

The Haudenosaunee people in upstate New York have a proud, dynamic culture. Their name, which means “people who build a house," refers to a peaceful confederation between six Native American nations, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy, each with their own distinct identity and language, including the Mohawks.

Key elements of Mohawk life are featured across three in-person experiences led by Mohawk Cultural Tours by Akwesasne Travel. Mohawk people who live the culture and know it best are the hosts, sharing their fascinating knowledge, expertise and stories with visitors. Experiences include a traditional basket weaving tour with an award-winning artist, before participants create their own bookmark using ancient artisanal techniques. Crafting lacrosse sticks reflects the sport’s ancient Indigenous origins, while stunning baskets are handwoven and carry great cultural significance.  

Abegweit Mi’kmaq, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Canada’s Prince Edward Island may be the country’s smallest province, but it is rich in landscapes and culture, particularly in the Abegweit Mi’Kmaq Nation who have lived in the region for more than 10,000 years. 'Abegweit' is an Anglicised version of 'Epekwitk' in the Mi’kmaq language, which is the Mi'kmaq's name for Prince Edward Island. Community elders and knowledge-keepers offer tours and events showcasing elements of the Mi’kmaq language, culture and traditions.

Warrior Women, Alberta, Canada

The Sturgeon Lake First Nation is a vibrant community located in the wild and beautiful forests of Canada’s Saskatchewan province. As Sturgeon Lake Cree First Nations Warrior Women, Matricia Bauer and her daughter Mackenzie aim to reconnect members of their community with their culture and embrace their heritage through authentic relationships with tourists. 

Canyon de Chelly Tours, Arizona, USA

The lands around the popular tourist destination of Canyon de Chelly have been home to the Diné people, part of the Navajo Nation, for more than 5,000 years. Indeed, no one has lived longer uninterrupted on the vast Colorado Plateau centered on the Four Corners of the southwestern US – Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. In the canyon – which they call 'tsegi,' meaning rock canyon – the Navajo Nation people raise livestock, farm the land and manage its resources. You can't miss Spider Rock, the sandstone spire that rises from the foot of the canyon (pictured), so named after Spider Woman, a woman from Navajo legend who taught her people how to weave.

Navajo Nation Bike Tour, Arizona, USA

Until recently, bike tours weren't even legally recognized on land in the Navajo Nation, which has a land base that occupies parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. But now, serious cyclists have embraced the chance to discover the unique ways, sights and culture of the Navajo people and their land with adventures led by Native American guides at Dzil Ta’ah Adventures. The company was granted a permit in 2020 for overnight bike trips and now not only celebrates Navajo creation stories and history, but all revenue from the tours goes back as investments into Navajo communities.

Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada

Cabin-based packages through Haida House Lodge in Haida Gwaii, remote British Columbia, explain why this land at the edge of the world is known as the 'Galapagos of the North.' The Haida people are an Indigenous group who have inhabited the Haida Gwaii archipelago for at least 12,500 years, so remarkable encounters and cultural insights are guaranteed in this ancient and mystical land, surrounded by lush rainforests with rare flora and fauna at every turn.

Treasured heritage sites guided by Haida experts unveil remnants from the past, and unique local cuisine wows and surprises. Haida Gwaii’s Graham and Moresby Islands are one focus, while Haida House lodge and oceanside cabins make for the perfect retreat at the end of the day. Nestled seamlessly in the wild landscape, they feature thoughtful touches by local artists and even a private deck-top hot tub to soothe weary limbs.

Sun Tours on Blackfeet Reservation, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

Sun Tours is an authorized partner of the National Park Service and a local Blackfeet Tribal business based on the Blackfeet Reservation, which borders the entire eastern side of Montana’s vast Glacier National Park. As residents of the reservation since at least the 17th century, no one is better placed to educate and inspire visitors on all elements of the land and tribal life.

Ute Mountain Tribal Park, Colorado, USA

Ute Mountain Tribal Park sits within the Ute Reservation in southwest Colorado and focuses on the preservation of cultural history through tours across 125,000 acres of undisturbed ancestral Pueblo ruins. Fascinating tours by local Ute guides are the only way to see them and the extraordinary collection of dwellings and petroglyphs which dot the geological formations, canyons and trails. 

A selection of tours include the remarkable Casa Colorado and Casa Blanca cliff dwellings. Pottery shards scatter the land, untouched for centuries in line with sacred beliefs to not disturb what is found. The Ute Mountain Tribal Park also offers a chance to escape the crowds of the much more popular Mesa Verde, with visitors frequently enjoying parts of the park and canyon entirely to themselves.

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How mass tourism is destroying Bali and its culture

Locals say bali could soon be unrecognisable as an idyllic location due to the cumulated effects of mass tourism, frenzied consumption and an ecological disaster..

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