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.
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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?
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