Just a few miles way from the more touristic, developed areas of the Indonesian island of Bali one can find tradition, rustic beauty and a more peaceful, easy-going way of life.
If your tastes are less on the side of luxurious resorts and throbbing nightlife and more geared toward nature, quaint villages and experiencing the authentic Balinese way of life you may prefer to spend your time off of Bali’s established tourist track.
photo credit: Matthew Hine (xmatt on Flickr CC)
Bali’s interior and coastal villages are where the real Bali exists: relaxed farming and fishing communities, where local life is not driven by tourism, but other industries like harvesting and drying seaweed for use in cosmetic products or growing coffee.
There is also currently a ‘bamboo boom’ taking place in Bali. Seen as a green and sustainable building material, bamboo structures, such as a 3-story chocolate factory or ‘bamboo cathedral’ are the result of an innovative and environmentally minded trend in Balinese architecture.
From a report by the Associated Press:
Bali is leading the charge, attracting carpenters, architects and designers from across the globe to use bamboo in building everything from a school and luxury villas to exclusive resorts.
Of course Bali’s nature is what draws most people away from the beach resorts and nightclubs of Kuta. Scuba diving in coastal waters, trekking through lush jungles, bathing in waterfalls and of course surfing Bali’s world-famous waves… And it is in the Balinese countryside where travellers can witness the unique and rich ecology this tropical island has to offer – on land and in the air and sea.
