Bali

At a glance

Bali is so picturesque that you could be fooled into thinking it was a painted backdrop: rice paddies trip down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soar through the clouds, the forests are lush and tropical, and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

The 2002 Kuta bombing marred Bali's tropical loveland image, and for a time the island, heavily dependent on tourism, fell into decline. These days it's undergoing a cautious revival with travellers reimmersing themselves in the sublime beach and village life and the aura of the magnificent temples.

Fast Facts