Posted on Jul 31, 2016 in
FEATURES
Aiysha Lalani and Zoltan Kovari released two white doves at their wedding on the Bali coastline as a sign of love, hope and a herald of good tidings.
By Zeenat Kassam Mitha –
When one thinks of the island of Bali, images of the beautiful Indian Ocean, weddings and Balinese dancing come to mind. Several in Fort Bend who have visited Bali also know it for its developing arts, music, sculpture, painting, leather and metal works.
The popular tourist destination is also the site of the annual Indonesian International Film Festival, bringing visitors from all over the world. What one may not know is Bali’s close proximity to other countries, such as Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam.
“Bali is my favorite destination on earth, as it’s green with so much vegetation and offers such amazing culture, delicious food, beautiful beaches, incredible crafts and lovely paintings,” said Ford Bend County resident Sapurah Lashari.
For those who love adventure in water, there are over 950 species of fish in the waters around Bali and plenty of dive sites around the coast, where visitors can view the marvelous diversity of fish and marine life and an assortment of coral.
Zeenat Mitha visited an ornate temple in Bali.Visitors borrow sarongs for a small donation before entering the temple and wear them as a sign of respect.
Bali is part of the Coral Triangle, the area with the highest biodiversity of marine species. The Coral Triangle, named for its astounding number of corals, is located in the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Solomon Islands. There are approximately 600 different species of reef-building corals alone, along with more than 2,000 species of reef fish and six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles. Tuna is commercial-ly imported from the Coral Triangle, stimulating jobs and a multi-billion dollar global tuna industry. This region has more than 2,000 languages communicated, and the various cultures share a tight connection to the sea.
Bali offers a host of hotels and resorts, including the Conrad Bali, Elephant Safari Park Lodge, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan and The Grand Mirage Resort and Thalasso Bali, where I recently stayed. The Grand Mirage Resort and Thalasco Bali offered beachfront views, pools, yoga classes, kids’ activities and a luxurious spa. Guests had a choice of including food and beverage in their stay or purchasing just the hotel room nights. The food was delicious, and the chefs catered to numerous cultures.
A traditional Balinese temple.
Places to visit in Bali include Seminyak, a tourist shopping area with several choices of wonderful restaurants. Other places to consider are the Tanah Lot Temple, the Elephant Safari Park, Bali Zoo, Bali Sunset Dinner Cruise and the town of Ubud featuring the Agung Rai Museum of Art, Ubud Palace and Ubud Monkey Forest.
Balinese culture is a mix of Indian, Chinese, Southeast Asian and predominantly Hindu, starting from the 1st century AD. Inscriptions from 896 and 911 reveal an independent Bali with a distinct dialect, where Buddhism and Sivaism, a branch of Hinduism, were practiced concurrently. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293 – 1520 AD) on the Eastern Java established a Balinese colony in 1343, and that began a huge Javanese emigration in the next century. Today, the majority of the population in Bali practice Hinduism.
The first known European connection with Bali is believed to have been in 1512, when a Portuguese expedition directed by Antonio Abreu and Francisco Abreu arrived at its northern shores. It was the first expedition of a series of bi-annual convoys. Then in 1597, the Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived in Bali. In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was established. During the second half of the 19th century, the Dutch government stretched its power across the Indonesian archipelago.
Bali was recently the host of the 2011 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit, the 2013 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Corporation) and the 2013 Miss World Pageant. A romantic hotspot, an artist’s haven and a marine lover’s retreat, Bali is a beautiful destination with widespread appeal.
