Bali is so picturesque that you could be fooled into thinking it was a painted backdrop: rice paddies trip down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soar through the clouds, the forests are lush and tropical, and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
Yes, Bali has beaches, surfing, diving and resorts great and small, but it's the essence of Bali - and the Balinese - that make it so much more than just a fun-in-the-sun retreat. It is possible to take the cliché of the smiling Balinese too far, but in reality, the inhabitants of this small island are indeed a generous, genuinely warm people. There's also a fun, sly sense of humour behind the smiles; upon seeing a bald tourist, many locals exclaim 'bung ujan' (today's rain is cancelled) - it's their way of saying that the hairless head is like a clear sky.
Points of Interest
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