Bali - an island with ironies

Bali is one weird island.
It is so rich in culture and yet filled with Westerners.
It is bustling with tourists and yet you can find corners to rest and retire.

Rich in Culture

Stone carving is Bali's most durable art form, mainly because the average stone statue isn't a convenient souvenir. Stone carving appears in set places in temples, though I was amazed to find stretches of stone carvings on natural rocks along the river bank. Stone carvers tend to stick to the tried and trusted, such as bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

Western Culture

Go to Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. Head into any restaurant or the beach, and you will be outnumbered by the number of Westerners there. It could be due to the burgeoning tourism trade, it could be due to the beautiful beaches, but whatever it is, many tourists are finding this stretch of the Bali beaches very attractive.

Bustling with the tourism trade

Bali experienced 2 bombings, the first in 2002 and the second in 2005. Many would have thought that Bali's tourism trade would be affected. However, Bali received 2.57 million tourists in 2010, an 8% increase year-on-year. Australia is Bali's #1 market. There are hundreds of sleeping options within Kuta and the 2 adjacent areas, Legian and Seminyak. I was caught up in a traffic jam in Kuta, but it's said to be common to have those intense and stressful jams. Thankfully, I was in a taxi - minus all the touts, dust and motorcycles.

Serene at Sanur

Sanur is often saddled with the moniker 'Snore' and while it's true that the relaxed pace locally can take some people a while to appreciate, it's also true that this has long been the locale for people who prefer things simple and unhurried. It's a very relaxed alternative to Kuta, with a fraction of the hassles. I stayed at Sanur for 3 nights - and experienced how peaceful it can be. It turns out to be those beach resorts where locals view life a tad slower and simpler, one can read a private time at a public beach and pubs are a rarity along the busiest stretch of Sanur.