To many people Bali has been theire vision of a tropical paradise since the early seventies, when international air travel became more affordable and common place.
I know it was to me, as i grew up in cold wet Wales.
Bali is an Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs. Bali has everything a tropical paradise island would have, if you imagined one.
The rupiah is the official currency of Indonesia, but US dollars are widley exchanged for local
rupiah. I had trouble getting money from local ATMs, a common problem i learnt, so do have some dollars,in reserve.
The tallest of a string of volcanic mountains that run from west to east is Gunung Agung Volcano, which last erupted in 1963. The wide and gentle sloping southern regions play host to Bali’s Famed rice terraces, which are among some of the most spectacular in the world.
Along with magnificent rainforest and temples at every turn, inland Bali, away from the beaches will not let you down.
Goa Gajah
One of the most unusual places of historical and cultural interest that you must visit is, Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave.The temple is characterised by menacing faces that are carved into the stone – whose purpose is assumed to be the warding off of evil spirits.
The primary figure was once thought to be an elephant, hence the nickname Elephant Cave. Other sources state that it is named after the stone statue of the Hindu God Ganesh (characterised by having the head of an elephant) located inside of the temple.The site is mentioned in the Javanese poem Desawarnana written in 1365 and is thought to be of 10th centuary origin.
Your entry fee will come with a sarong, which must be worn by both men and women at Balinese Hindu temples. We approached the cave and admired the truly wonderful and intricately carved stone entrance, once inside, you'll see a narrow room, maybe 12 feet to the left and 12 feet to the right, with a small shrine at each end. Very mystic place, well worth a visit, particularly in the late afternoon when its quieter and it's getting dark. For it's atmosphere alone if nothing else.
Early spring is a busy time on the island, and there always seems to be a celebration of somthing going on.
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