When I first traveled to Bali on a teen tour, I expected beautiful beaches and exciting outdoor activities. I found these things, plus a few more I wasn’t expecting: one of the worst sunburns of my life, and a newfound fascination for the culture of Bali.
I stayed with a local Balinese family, and my hosts welcomed me into their daily lives, sharing their customs and traditions. Experiencing their way of life made me pause and appreciate how diverse the world truly is. We have the privilege of learning from different cultures. We can learn new languages and new traditions. All of these can offer us a new perspective on life.
Let’s take a look at 11 fun facts about Bali.
Kopi Luwak is a type of coffee produced in Bali that involves fermenting coffee cherries in the digestive system of a civet. Also known as civet coffee, Kopi Luwak is widely regarded as the world’s most expensive coffee due to its unique processing. The resulting coffee from the thoroughly cleaned coffee cherries is a cup of smooth, earthy flavored coffee with a unique back story and a sizeable price tag.
The farmer of the Kopi Luwak I visited in Bali told me that it was not just the fermentation that makes the coffee world class. The civets are picky eaters, they only eat the best tasting cherries. The whole next step feels like it should extinguish those “tasty” notes, but I quite enjoyed my cup of Kopi Luwak. The atmosphere and storytelling might have been doing most of the heavy lifting though.
Civets are nocturnal mammals, often related to cats, but closer to Mongoose.
A single cup of Kopi Luwak cost ~$3.30 directly from a local farm.
Bali is the only Hindu majority island in Indonesia. While 87% of Indonesia is Muslim, 83% of Bali is Hindu, making up less than 2% of the country’s population.
In the past, Indonesia was dominated by Hinduism and Buddhism starting from the 1st century CE. When the largest Hindu empire of Majaphit fell in the 16th century, Hindus fled to Bali while Islam became the major religion elsewhere in Indonesia. Bali was able to preserve its Hindu origins because its geographic and political separate from the Islamic kingdoms in the main island of Java.
Balinese Hinduism is not the Hinduism that you might be familiar with. When Bali become the last refuge for Hindus in Indonesia, it had to incorporate the local beliefs and customs of Balinese culture in order to prosper and survive. Local beliefs like animism, or the belief that spirits inhabit natural objects, became a core part of the Hindu practices in Bali.
Here’s a look at the key difference between Hinduism in Bali and in India:
| Category | Indian Hinduism | Balinese Hinduism |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophical Foundation | Based on Dharma, Karma, and the Vedas, with a strong focus on individual spiritual progress (Moksha) | Tri Hita Karana – Emphasis on maintaining harmony between humans, nature, and gods |
| Pantheon of Gods | Primarily worship Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and other deities such as Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Ganesh | Localized pantheon; Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa as the supreme god, with worship of many nature spirits and ancestors |
| Role of Offerings | Offerings are typically made in temples or home shrines, especially during festivals and religious occasions | Daily offerings (Canang Sari) are placed multiple times a day to gods, spirits, and ancestors, not just during festivals |
| Relationship with Nature | Reverence for rivers, mountains, and sacred trees, but more focus on the gods themselves | Strong connection to nature; offerings made to spirits residing in nature (trees, rivers, mountains) |
| Concept of Time | Gregorian calendar and the Hindu lunar calendar (Panchang) used for religious festivals | Pawukon – A 210-day calendar system used for scheduling rituals, festivals, and ceremonies |
| Temples & Architecture | Temples are enclosed, ornately decorated structures, representing the cosmos, and vary in style (e.g., South Indian, North Indian) | Temples are open-air, seamlessly blending with natural surroundings, representing the connection between humans, gods, and nature |
| Rituals & Ceremonies | Festivals like Diwali, Holi, and Navaratri are widely celebrated; daily worship is often performed at home or in temples | Numerous local ceremonies like Odalan, Galungan, and Nyepi; daily rituals and offerings play a central role in everyday life |
| Priesthood Structure | Strict Brahmin caste as the highest priestly order; rituals generally require Brahmin involvement | Both Brahmin priests (Pedanda) and local priests (Pemangku) can perform rituals, offering more flexibility |
In Bali there are over 20,000 temples, gaining the Indonesian island the nicknames “Island of a Thousand Temples” and “Island of Gods.” These temples consist of small family shrines to large public temples, including three main temples called the “Kahyangan Tiga” in every village.
To give you an idea of just how many temples 20,000 means, let’s compare how many temples there are in Bali to the number of McDonalds in New York City.
| Metric | Bali | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 2231.67 sq miles | 302.63 sq miles |
| Number of Temples/McDonald’s | 20,000 Temples | 230 McDonald’s |
| Temples/McDonald’s per Square Mile | 8.96 Temples per sq mile | 0.76 McDonald’s per sq mile |
| Population | 4.3 million | 8.3 million |
| Temples/McDonald’s per Person | 1 Temple per 215 people | 1 McDonald’s per 36,087 people |
In Bali there is 1 temple for every 215 people, compared to 1 McDonalds for every 36,087 people in New York City. That’s a lot of temples.
Every day of the year there will be a ceremony at some temple in Bali, if not dozens. I had to stop asking my taxi driver why the streets were blocked; the answer was always a ceremony. Odalan is the anniversary of a temple, occurring every 210 days following the Balinese Pawukon calendar.
With 20,000 temples or nine every square mile, and each temple with a different anniversary… There’s a lot of ceremonies going on. Not to mention the Canang Sari, or woven baskets with offerings to the gods that are prepared daily in front of most homes, businesses and temples.
Here are some of the other major ceremonies celebrated in Bali:
| Ceremony Title | Celebrated On | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Nyepi (Day of Silence) | March 29, 2025 (210-day cycle) | The Balinese New Year, where the entire island shuts down, including tourist destinations and the airport. It’s a day of complete silence, reflection, and meditation as locals stay indoors. |
| Ogoh-Ogoh Parade | March 28, 2025 (Nyepi Eve) | A grand parade held the night before Nyepi, featuring large, demonic statues (Ogoh-Ogoh) that are paraded and burned to drive away evil spirits. |
| Galungan and Kuningan | September 3, 2025 (Galungan), September 13, 2025 (Kuningan) | Celebrated every 210 days, these ceremonies mark the victory of good over evil. The Balinese erect Penjor (decorated bamboo poles) outside homes and temples as offerings to the gods. |
| Melasti | March 26, 2025 (210-day cycle) | A purification ceremony where sacred objects are brought from temples to the sea for cleansing, symbolizing spiritual purification and renewal. |
Ceremonies for Balinese people start young with many traditions that begin from the day you are born. The Grounding Ceremony, Nyabutan or Kepus Puser, is a custom that babies are not allowed to touch the ground for the first 105 days of their lives. Babies are believed to be in a divine or spiritual state, connected with the heavens and not fully a part of the human world.
In other words, Balinese children can beat you at a game of the floor is lava any day. Here are some of the other ceremonies you can expect in your first year of life as a baby in Bali:
The placenta (called Ari-Ari) is considered a sacred companion to the baby. After birth, it is carefully cleaned and buried near the family home. The placenta is believed to have a spiritual connection to the child, protecting them throughout their life.
Balinese babies receive their name through a naming ceremony, usually held after the 42nd day. The family chooses the name based on traditions that reflect the baby’s birth order and family heritage.
Names follow a pattern based on the order of birth:
Balinese believe that certain spirits protect babies. Kala is thought to guard children from harm, while the Sanghyang Jaran is a divine figure believed to ensure the child’s well-being. Rituals involving offerings are performed to honor these spirits, seeking their protection for the newborn.
At the 105-day mark (the “three-month” ceremony), a celebration called Telung Bulanan is held. The baby is introduced to the extended family, community and ancestors.
The 105-Day Celebration marks the beginning of the baby’s integration into society. Oh, and they can finally touch the ground.
Bonus Fact: Taman Nasional Bali Barat is the only place in the world where you can find the critically endangered Bali Starling (Jalak Bali) in the wild.
There is only one UNESCO world Heritage site in Bali, the Subak Irrigation System. The sites official name is one of the longest UNESCO site names: Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy. More simply, the Subak Irrigation System is an ancient, community-based water management system used in rice terraces.
It was recognized by UNESCO in 2012 for its sustainability and community-based water management.
Famous rice terraces like the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are a popular tourist attraction in Bali.
Mount Agung is a dangerous, active volcano that has continues to be a threat to communities on Bali. The most recent major eruption was in 1963. It lasted 11 months and killed over 1,000 people. Despite its danger, the volcano is also considered sacred and has many temples in the area.
You can thank Bali’s active volcanoes for the famous black sand beaches that draw tourists every year. Mount Batur is another famous volcano that has erupted over 20 times in the last two centuries. At the peak of Mount Batur lies Lake Batur, a large volcanic lake formed in the massive crater left behind by a past eruption.
Be wary of the monkeys at the top of Mount Batur that will steal your breakfast while you take in the natural beauty of the sunrise.
Bali has its own language called Balinese or Basa Bali. It might be a small island of Indonesia, but due to its Hindu population and isolated history, Bali was able to develop and preserve its own language.
Basa Bali has very different vocabulary and lexicon, but most Balinese people are able to speak Bahasa Indonesia and Balinese.
Bali sits in the center of the Coral Triangle, home to 76% of the world’s coral species.
Monkeys, in particular Macaques, are sacred animals in Bali because of their connection with Balinese Hinduism. They are most closely associated with the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman, who rescued his wife from the demon king Ravana. Monkeys are considered the companions of Hanuman and guardians of sacred temples.
The most famous monkey sanctuary in Bali is the Ubud Monkey Forest, home to over 700 carefully cared for macaques. The monkeys of Ubud Monkey Forest are well accustomed to tourists and more than a bit mischievous. Don’t forget to secure your sunglasses, unless you are a ready to part with some extra cash to see them again.
Tourists in Bali make up 40% of all international tourists in each month. Bali might just be on of nearly 18,000 island of Indonesia and make up only 1.7% of the countries population, but at it’s pre-pandemic peak 6 million international tourists visit Bali each year. It wasn’t always a tourist hotspot. Let’s take a look at tourism in Bali over the last 100 years:
At the end of the 19th century, Bali was still ruled by local kings, and travel was slow and bureaucratic. Foreign visitors needed permission from multiple rulers, making Bali an exclusive and challenging destination.
In the early 1900s, Bali became more accessible, especially to Dutch expatriates. The first tourists arrived in the 1920s, staying in resorts like the Bali Hotel, which attracted world leaders like Queen Elizabeth. Bali’s infrastructure improved under Dutch influence, preparing it for more tourism.
During World War II, Japan occupied Bali and the rest of the Dutch East Indies in 1942. This occupation disrupted tourism while setting the stage for Indonesian independence after the war.
In the 1960s, after Indonesia gained independence, Bali’s tourism revived under President Sukarno, who developed Bali’s first high-rise hotel and expanded the airport. By 1968, Bali was welcoming 11,000 tourists annually.
During the 1970s, Bali became popular with hippies and backpackers, who helped shape Bali’s image as an alternative, relaxed destination. The local government encouraged cultural tourism to preserve traditions, and Bali’s tourism numbers grew steadily.
The tourism boom was interrupted by the tragic Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005, which targeted tourist areas in Kuta. The attacks killed hundreds of people and caused a sharp decline in tourism, with many visitors canceling their trips.
In the 2010s, Bali’s tourism exploded, with over 6 million international visitors arriving each year, making up about 40% of Indonesia’s monthly tourism. However, rapid development led to environmental concerns, with water shortages and plastic waste becoming serious issues.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought Bali’s tourism industry to a standstill. In 2021, fewer than 50 international tourists visited the island due to strict travel restrictions.
By 2024, Bali’s tourism industry has recovered and is on track to reach new record highs in international visitors, solidifying its status as one of the world’s top tourist destinations once again.
