BALI IS A PROVINCE OF INDONESIA AND THE WESTERNMOST OF THE LESSER SUNDA ISLANDS. EAST OF JAVA AND WEST OF LOMBOK, THE PROVINCE INCLUDES THE ISLAND OF BALI AND A FEW SMALLER NEIGHBORING ISLANDS.

IT IS ONE OF MORE THAN 17,000 ISLANDS IN THE INDONESIAN ARCHIPELAGO AND IS LOCATED JUST OVER 2 KILOMETERS FROM THE EASTERN TIP OF THE ISLAND OF JAVA AND WEST OF THE ISLAND OF LOMBOK.

THE ISLAND IS APPROXIMATELY 144 KILOMETERS (90 MI.) FROM EAST TO WEST AND 80 KILOMETERS (50 MI.) NORTH TO SOUTH.

THIS EXQUISITE ISLAND IS KNOWN FOR TERRACED RICE FIELDS, BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS. ITS LUSH COUNTRYSIDE IS HOME TO ICONIC STONE TEMPLES AND MISCHIEVOUS MONKEYS. HISTORIC SITES LIKE THE CLIFFSIDE ULUWATU TEMPLE MESMERIZE VISITORS.

IT IS A MAGICAL BLEND OF CULTURE, PEOPLE, NATURE, ACTIVITIES, WEATHER, CULINARY DELIGHTS, NIGHTLIFE, AND BEAUTIFUL ACCOMODATION.

ITS PEOPLE ARE SPIRITUAL, AND ITS UNIQUE CULTURE STAKES A SERIOUS CLAIM TO BE PARADISE ON EARTH. WITH WORLD-CLASS SURFING AND DIVING, A LARGE NUMBER OF CULTURAL, HISTORICAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL ATTRACTIONS, AND AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF ACCOMODATIONS, THIS IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR ISLAND DESTINATIONS AND ONE WHICH CONSISTENTLY WINS TRAVEL AWARDS.

BALI IS A POCKET OF HINDU RELIGION AND CULTURE. EVERY ASPECT OF BALINESE LIFE IS SUFFUSED WITH RELIGION, AND TH EMOST VISIBLE SIGNS ARE THE TINY OFFERINGS (CANANG SARI, OR SESAJEN) FOUND IN EVERY BALINESE HOUSE, WORK PLACE, RESTAURANT, SOUVENIR STALLS, AND AIRPORT CHECK-IN DESK.

THESE LEAF TRAYS ARE MADE DAILY AND CAN CONTAIN AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF OFFERING ITEMS: FLOWERS, GLUTINOUS RICE, COOKIES, SALT, AND EVEN CIGARETTES AND COFFEE !

TIME ZONE
Central Indonesia Time (CIT)
UTC/GMT +8 hours

LANGUAGE
After English, the most commonly spoken language is Balinese, their native language. Saying "Hello" in Balinese. Say "om suastiastu".

POPULATION

The island, is home to about 4.2 million people as of 2022.

CURRENCY
The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah.

BENOA is the main gateway for cruise ships to enter the island of Bali. It is strategically located on the eastern side of the southern part of Bali, sharing close proximity to many tourist attractions, beautiful beaches, and other marine-related activities. Benoa Cruise Terminal (BCT) hosts passenger ships of all sizes.

You will be greeted by Balinese dancers at the dock. Within the terminal there are demonstrations of Balinese art and culture. There are wayang kulit puppets, Balinese dances and Gamelan orchestra. Among the demonstrations are batik painting and printing, wood carving and sculpture.

There are many taxi’s and private vehicles for hire outside the terminal. You can hire a car and or a van with a driver for half a day for US65.00. Just make sure that the driver speaks good english.

Denpasar airport is only 12 km (7,5 mi) away from the cruise port and there are a lot of good hotels in the area. Bali is a great resort vacation destination with a huge variety of city tours and shore excursions. The cruise ship schedule offers attractive voyages. The most attractive cruises in the itinerary are during the Nyepi Day (the Silent Day corresponding to the New Year in Bali) in March.

PORT FACILITIES AND LOCATION:

Port of Benoa Ship will ANCHOR OFF SHORE at this port.

PORT LOCATION MAP

CITY TOURS AND SHORE EXCURSIONS

Bali is a large island and a famous Indonesian resort. This place is amazing with its sunny beaches, beautiful tropical forests, and volcanic mountains. It offers terraced rice fields and thousands of great temples. The Bali Cruise Terminal is located close to famous attractions and places for fun activities like water sport or haggling for bargains. Bali has survived two bombing accidents and has revived in an amazing place for a great vacation. The tour operators offer interesting activities like surfing, playing golf, workshops attending and watching Balinese dance performances in the evenings. Also, you can visit interesting places like:

NUSA DUA 13 KM

Nusa Dua is a peninsula located on the southern part of Bali. This tourism complex is known for its serene waters framed with pristine white sands and manicured tropical gardens. With high-end hotels, shops, and kid-friendly restaurants, this area offers various exciting excursions for families. Easily accessed via Mandara toll road.

SEMINYAK 15 KM

Located north from Kuta, it is a high-class resort with SPA and boutiques.Seminyak beach is a stylish beach in the urban area of Kuta. The beach is lined with squishy bean bags dotting over its white sand, overlooking the curling waves. It offers a more sophisticated ambience than its neighboring beaches in Kuta and Legian. However, come sun down, the coast line turns into an upscale party club.

SANUR 13 KM

It is a resort town near the beach. Sanur is one of the oldest developed beach areas in the island. With serene and calm waters, the beach has a more laid-back atmosphere with perfectly suits visitors wishing for a relaxed downtime. Easily accessed by the Jalan Ngurah Rai bypass.

JIMBARAN 10 KM

Situated just the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jimbaran is home to quaint fishing village renowned for their seafood. The beach is relatively secluded and the water is highly swimmable for both children and adult.

ULUWATU TEMPLE 24 KM

Uluwatu Temple is known for its cliff side temple, which is built of a magnificent limestone structure. This is where the famous Kecak Fire Dance is regularly held. Religious ceremonies are also often held within the temple or by the beach.

TIRTA EMPUL TEMPLE 50 KM

The temple was built around 920 AD. The old temple complex houses holy mountain springs and decorated with ancient relics that tell a traditional tale about good versus evil. The mountain springs are used for bathing in ritual ceremonies, some of which are held during the full moon. It is a national cultural heritage site

BALI BIRD AND REPTILE PARK 22 KM

With over 250 species living in its premises, the park offers a replica of the wildlife, with certain birds soaring free in the sky. The park also comes with massive aviaries and regions depending on the animals' natural habitat.

UBUD MONKEY FOREST 36 KM

The Ubud Monkey forest is a sacred site with the rich Indonesian long-tailed macaques in the hectare lush tropical setting of Bali. The primates are considered sacred by Balinese Hindus. This natural sanctuary has a paved pathway through a leafy nutmeg forest as well as several ancient temples under dense foliage.

TEGALALANG RICE TERRACES 40 KM

Tegallalang Rice Terrace, it is a series of beautifully arranged paddies which follows the traditional Balinese irrigation system called “subak.” The system is said to have been passed down by a sage named Rsi Markandeya in the 8th century. It is a UNESCO World heritage site and it is very popular amongst tourists. The best time to visit and see this emerald-green rice paddies is in the morning.

UBUD TRADITIONAL ART MARKET 35 KM

Bali’s cultural center. Take a tour at museums and temples, you can also visit a monkey sanctuary. It is considered as the most vibrant arts and crafts communities in the island.This art maret, has a bustling market scene in the cultural hub. Visitors can shop for sarongs, batik shirts, wood carvings, jewelry, and other trinkets to take home.

KECAK FIRE DANCE AT ULUWATU TEMPLE 30 KM

Kecak Fire Dance is one of the most majestic and iconic art performances. It is well known for its astounding use of human vocals in place of musical instruments. The dance tells a story excerpted from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata romance drama. The best place to watch the spectacular dance is at the Pura Uluwatu, where it is performed daily against the backdrop of Bali’s dramatic sunset.

KUMBASARI MARKET 31 MIN BY CAR

This store is fully dedicated to the finest qualities of wicker items. Shoppers can find a wide array of bag styles with various ornaments, such as pom-poms or bamboo, complete with the big summer hats that are essential for the fashion blogger look. The store also offers beachy home decors and wooden homeward items.

BEACHWALK SHOPPING CENTER 43 MIN BY CAR

Located right by the beach, this shopping mall offers the perfect combination of the urban lifestyle among the traditional stores that sell the signature souvenirs.

BUMBU BALI TANJUNG RESTAURANT 19 MIN BY CAR, VIA TOLL ROAD

Experience the Balinese traditional street cuisine in a refined restaurant set in the rustic open-plan space adorned with traditional decor. From slow-roasted chicken, fresh grilled seafood, to refreshing vegetarian dishes, Bumbu Bali continues to satisfy diners since 1997.

KUTA BEACH 9.1 km

Bali’s most developed and most popular beach. You can see a memorial to the 2002 bombing victims. There are a lot of surf shops, cafes (including Hard Rock Cafe) and several not so big shopping malls.

MUST TRY FOOD IN BALI

BABI GULING -or sucklin gpig is Bali’s most famous food. The skin is crisp is preserved, and the meat is finely shredded. Satay, Lawar, pork skin, shredded pork meat, and rice are served along with pork soup. The most popular place to eat babi guling is at Ibu Oka in Ubud. This restaurant was made popular by the celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. This restaurant is so popular they decided to open 2 other locations. Many people love Ibu Oka, however, it is usually packed with tourists and is a bit more expensive.

GADO-GADO -Gado gado is a must try food if you are vegetarian. You can substitute almost any Balinese dish for a vegetarian option, however, this is a dish everyone will love. This Indonesian salad has tempeh, tofu, cucumbers, bean sprout, kidney beans, and sometimes eggs. This is topped with a special peanut sauce dressing that makes the salad a little sweet, salty, and spicy.

MEE GORENG -is Indonesian staple food. Mie goreng, or stir fried noodles, is a very common dish in Indonesia. It is a very flavorful dish with a hint of spice. This dish is influenced by the Chinese dish chow mein, which is why it may look familiar. Mie goreng is traditionally made out of egg noodles, soy sauce, vegetables, and a variety of meat.

SATAY - is a popular street food in Bali. You can often find vendors selling it from smokey carts almost everywhere. Types of Balinese sate include chicken, beef, goat, and rabbit. You can find this popular food almost everywhere but there are certain types of sate that can only be found in ceremonies.

Although it is a common street food, you can also find this in many restaurants. If you are in the Kuta area, a good restaurant that you should visit is Gourmet Sate House. They have a good variety of satay that is very affordable.

PEPES IKAN - Pepes ikan is a whole marinated fish that is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. This is an authentic dish you must try in Bali. Although Balinese cuisine is more known for their meat dishes, people in Bali are also great at cooking fish!

The way this dish is prepared really allows the fish to absorb all the flavors from the spices. Pepes ikan can be made with any fish but the most common fish that is used for this dish is mackerel, sardines, and snapper.

NASI AYAM - For chicken lovers, Nasi Ayam is one of the most ubiquitous highlights of Balinese cuisine; this dish is a must-try for every foodie out there! Comprising of shredded chicken, satay, boiled egg, roasted peanuts, french bean salad, sambal and a bowl of steamed rice; this dish is guaranteed to take you on a wild ride exploring the variety of flavours that it has to offer. The satay made of fish is marinated along with the chicken and grilled to perfection. The former is served on a stick, whereas the latter is served shredded. The peanuts add a crunch and take the dish to a whole new level!

LAKLAK BALINESE CAKE - Laklak is a sweet traditional Balinese cake that is made out of rice flour. It usually comes in two colors, white and green. Pandan leaves are used to give it a green color and a light aroma. Laklak is often eaten for breakfast but it is also a great snack that can be eaten any time of the day.

NASI CAMPUR MIXED RICE - . Nasi campur is a dish that comes with a scoop of rice and a mixture of small portioned side dishes. Some side dishes include tofu, tempeh, fish, and meat. You’ll get to sample some of the best foods from this local dish. You can find nasi campur in other parts of Indonesia as well but what makes nasi campur in Bali distinctive is the typical spices that are used in many Balinese dishes.

Balinese food is known to be very flavorful but depending on where you go the nasi campur can be bland. A popular place to eat is in Kuta at a restaurant called Nook. This restaurant is very popular amongst foreigners since there are many foreign foods on the menu and it is in English. Although it is target towards foreigners, the food is still very good.

NASI GORENG - This is an all-time favourite food of Bali. Various spices are mixed to form a thick paste which is subsequently added to boiled rice and cooked on a slow flame. Loads of vegetables are added along with chicken meat or beef, which have been previously marinated and fried to perfection. To the very end, butter is added to this mountain of fried rice to make it all the more sumptuous and better.

ES CAMPUR - Need to quench your thirst, then Es campur is th eone you shoul dbe looking for. It is a shaved ice dessert that has a mixture of toppings. Common toppings that you will find are grass jelly, basil seeds, nata de coco, and avocado. The ingredients are mixed into coconut milk and topped with condensed milk for extra sweetness. The jelly in the drink gives it a whole new experience to your taste buds.

This colorful and refreshing dessert is perfect for the hot and humid weather so be sure to try it out when you’re in Bali. You can find es campur everywhere from street vendors to fancy restaurants. No matter where you get it, es campur will cool you down and satisfy your sweet tooth.

BUBUR SUMSUM - There are so many foods you must try in Bali and this is no exception! Bubur sumsum is often served as a traditional dessert but can also be eaten for breakfast or as a snack. This dessert is mainly made out of coconut milk, rice flour, and topped with palm sugar syrup. Sweet potato dumplings are sometimes served with bubur sumsum.

This dessert is very simple to make, however, might require a little bit of practice to get the correct consistency. You can learn how to make this delicious dessert by taking a cooking class in Bali.

PISANG GORENG - Fried bananas. Goreng means fried in Indonesian. Pisang goreng is a deep fried banana that is covered in batter. It is a very popular snack that can be found throughout Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. Many street vendors sell this on its own but you can also find it at restaurants or cafes.

It is absolutely delicious to eat pisang goreng with ice cream even though it is not a traditional way to eat it. This treat is so good you will want more.