This article is about the Chongqing travel, China travel guide, China vacations and China travel tips. You can find some useful information in it if you are planning your Chongqing, China travel now.

There are 4 municipality (directly under the jurisdiction of the Central Government) in China and they are: Beijing, Shanghai,Tianjin and Chongqing. Chongqing is the biggest city in South-West China. It occupies 82,300 square kilometers and its population is 30,220,000. Here is some useful info for your Chongqing, China travel: Tel area code is 023 for Chongqing; Zip code is 400000; Tel for the Chongqing Tourism Bureau is 89033055; Chongqing Tourist Complaint Telephone is 96927.

Language of Chongqing:

The Chongqing people speak Sicuan dialect but you will find no problem in communication if you speak Mandarin Chinese here. Chongqing is one of the 4 municipality of China and Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Chongqing. ( More info about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot Com )

How to get in?

You can get here by train, by bus or by air. I will recommend you to get in by air because Chongqing is called the “mountain city” in China. You can save a lot of time if you choose to take the plane. There are airlines connecting Chongqing with more than 40 big cities of China. The Chongqing Jiangbei Airport is about 23 kilometers away from the downtown of Chongqing. The cost is about 50 rmb if you take a taxi from the airport to the downtown of Chongqing. Another option is the airport bus and the cost is 10 rmb.

The traffic condition of Chongqing:

Because Chongqing is the “mountain city” of China, you will not find bikes here. This is very different with other big cities of China. The public transportation is very advanced here in Chongqing. You can get anywhere you want by city bus, tourist bus,subway or taxi. Here are some useful Chongqing, China travel tips: (1). ALTO is the most popular taxi car in Chongqing. Its flag-fall price is 5 rmb and the cost is 1.2 rmb for one kilometer. The VW Santana is another choice for the taxi service in Chongqing and the cost is 1.6 rmb for one kilometer. (2). In Chongqing, you will need to pay for the high way fee if you go through a high way by taxi. The cost is 10 rmb for each time. Another extra fee for the taxi is the waiting fee: 0.6 rmb for every 5 minutes. (3). The city buses are in the same price in Chongqing. (4). The city bus with air condition will cost you an extra 0.5 rmb AC fee, comparing with the city bus without AC. (5). The Chongqing subway can take you from the Chongqing Zoo to the Daping. The train goes through the downtown of Chongqing and the cost is 8 rmb for one person.( More info about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot Com )

By Shane Lee. Date: 08/11/2009.

Copyright belongs to Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM . You can find more information about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips from our web site.
NOTE: Permission is granted by the copyright owner to disseminate this article in whole or in part provided credit is given to the author (with a link to the article’s source URL Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM ) and this NOTE is not removed.

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Tags: china, Chongqing, Guide, info, Tips, Travel, Vacations

This article is about the Jiuzhaigou travel, China travel guide, China vacations and China travel tips. You can find some useful information in it if you are planning your Jiuzhaigou, China travel now.

First, the best time for the Jiuzhaigou Huanglong travel is July,August and September. Jiuzhaigou Huanglong is famous of its beautiful water. You can see the real attractions of Jiuzhaigou Huanglong during this period of time. Another good thing is that you can avoid the gold holidays of China, which means a very crowded Jiuzhaigou Huanglong for the travellers.

If you wanna travel with a travel agency, there are two options to get in: by bus or by air. The bus will start from Chengdu and it takes 2 whole days for the round trip to Jiuzhaigou Huanglong. This is a long trip and you will be exhausted when reaching Jiuzhaigou Huanglong. But the advantage is that you will see the beautiful views in the bus when travelling from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Huanglong. This can be a very good experience for the people who is been here for the first time. I will recommend you to travel by air. Jiuzhaigou Huanglong has a airport named Jiu Huang Airport. You can save a lot of time if you fly to Jiuzhaigou from Chengdu. The Jiu Huang Airport is about 2 hours’ ride from Jiuzhaigou Huanglong. The only disadvantage of this kind of transportation is that the weather of Jiuzhaigou Huanglong is not so good for the planes to take off or land. Lots of tour guides say that it is very common for the plane to delay 6-10 hours. When I visited Jiuzhaigou for the first time, the plane arrived on time and my tour guide who picked me up at the airport said it is a big surprise for him. I am not always this lucky. When I left Jiuzhaigou Huanglong, the plane delayed for 5 hours.

Another choice is the bagpack travelling. Lots of young people like this kind of tours. There are flights connecting Jiuzhaigou Huanglong with many big cities of China (transfer at Chengdu). You can fly to Chengdu first, then transfer to a tourist bus to Jiuzhaigou Huanglong. There are tourist buses heading from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Huanglong every day and the bus fare is not high (about 100 rmb). (you can get more China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM)

About Jiuzhaigou:

Known in English as Jiuzhai Valley it lies at the southern end of the Minshan mountain range, 330 km north of the provincial capital of Chengdu. It is part of the Jiuzhaigou County (formerly Nanping County) in the Aba Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of northwestern Sichuan province, near the Gansu border.(you can get more China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM)

The valley covers at least 240 square km, with some protection organizations giving the area as 600 to 720 square km, with buffer zones covering an additional 400 to 600 square km. Its elevation, depending on the area considered, ranges from 1,998 to 2,140 m (at the mouth of Shuzheng Gully) to 4,558 – 4,764 m (on Mount Ganzigonggai at the top of Zechawa Gully).

The climate is cool temperate with a mean annual temperature of 7.2 C, with means of 1 C in January and 17 C in July. Total annual rainfall is 661 mm, 80% of which occurs between May and October.

Jiuzhaigou is composed of three valleys arranged in a Y shape. The Rize and Zechawa valleys flow from the south and meet at the centre of the site where they form the Shuzheng valley, flowing north to the mouth of the valley. The mountainous watersheds of these gullies are lined with 55 km of roads for shuttle buses, as well as boardwalks and small pavilions. The boardwalks are typically located on the opposite side of the lakes from the road, shielding them from disturbance by passing buses.

Most visitors will first take the shuttle bus to the end of Rize and/or Shuzheng gully, then make their way back downhill by foot on the boardwalks, taking the bus instead when the next site is too distant. (you can get more China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM)

By Shane Lee. Date: 08/03/2009.

Copyright belongs to Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM .  You can find more information about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips from our web site.
NOTE: Permission is granted by the copyright owner to disseminate this article in whole or in part provided credit is given to the author (with a link to the article’s source URL Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM ) and this NOTE is not removed.

About the author:Shane Lee.More flights,airfares info at:cheap flights,non-stop flights,direct flights,china travel.And:Cheap flights from RDU to LGA.And:Flights from Phoenix to JFK.

Tags: china, Guide, info, Jiuzhaigou, Tips, Travel, Vacations

This article is about the Mount Huang travel, China travel guide, China vacations and China travel tips. You can find some useful information in it if you are planning your Mount Huang,China travel now.

Mount Huang was formed approximately 100 million years ago and gained its unique rock formations in the Quaternary Glaciation.

During the Qin Dynasty, Mount Huang was known as Yishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD, its name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by imperial decree; the name is commonly thought to have been coined in honor of Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor), a legendary Chinese emperor and the mythological ancestor of the Han Chinese; one legend states that Mount Huang was the location from which the Yellow Emperor ascended to Heaven. Another legend states that the Yellow Emperor “cultivated moral character and refined pills of immortality in the mountains, and in so doing gave the mountains his name.The first use of this name “Mount Huang” is often attributed to Chinese poet Li Bai. Mount Huang was fairly inaccessible and little-known in ancient times, but its change of name in 747 AD seems to have brought the area more attention; from then on, the area was visited frequently and many temples were built there.

Mount Huang is known for its stone steps, carved into the side of the mountain, of which there may be more than 60,000 throughout the area. The date at which work on the steps began is unknown, but they have been said to be over 1,500 years old.( More info about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot Com )

In 1982, Mount Huang was declared a “site of scenic beauty and historic interest” by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 for its scenery and for its role as a habitat for rare and threatened species. The nearby villages of Hongcun and Xidi were also named part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

How to get to Mount Huang(Mount Huangshan) from Beijing?

You can have 3 options: air, train or car.

The plane is the most convinient way of course. It is only about 2 hours trip from Beijing to Mount Huangshan. Currently, the China Air have airlines connecting Beijing with Mount Huangshan. It is available every day and the cost is about 1070 rmb. Sometimes you can get a 30% or 40% off, depending on the time you visit Mount Huangshan. Here is some info about this CA airline: (1). Beijing – Huangshan, Airline Number: CA1551, Take off time: 18:35, Arrive time: 20:47, Plane type: B737, Airfare: 1090 rmb. (2). Huangshan – Beijing, Airline Number: CA1552, Take off time: 21:25, Arrive time: 23:35, Plane type: B737, Airfare: 1090 rmb.

If you wanna take the train from Beijing to Mount Huangshan, the cost is lower than the air. The K45/K46(Beijing-Fuzhou) train can take you to Mount Huangshan. The trip is about 20 hours. Here is some info about this train: (1). Beijing to Huangshan, Train number: K45, Depart: 11:45, Arrive: 07:35, Cost: 182-521 rmb. (2). Huangshan to Beijing, Train number: K46, Depart: 09:21, Arrive: 05:07, Cost: 182-521 rmb.( More info about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot Com )

Another option is to drive your own car from Beijing to Mount Huangshan. More and more people like this kind of travel now. I will recommend this tour: Beijing – Nanjing – Maanshan – Wuhu- Jinxian – Mount Huangshan. Some Huangshan,China travel tips here: (1). This trip is about 3300 kilometers and the cost is about 1600 rmb (1100 for the high way fees and 500 for the gas). (2). Sometimes the climate is not so good in south China and this may cause some extra time in your way from Beijing to Mount Huangshan. (like high way closed because of the fog, etc) (3). You will need to bring some food and water in your car. (4). If you are running out of gas, the best choices are the gas stations in the big cities or high way service areas.( More info about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot Com )

By Shane Lee. Date: 08/15/2009.

Copyright belongs to Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM .  You can find more information about China travel guide, China vacations, China travel tips from our web site.
NOTE: Permission is granted by the copyright owner to disseminate this article in whole or in part provided credit is given to the author (with a link to the article’s source URL Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM ) and this NOTE is not removed.

About the author:Shane Lee.More flights,airfares info at:cheap flights,non-stop flights,direct flights,china travel.And:cheap flights chicago to las vegas.And:airfares rdu boston.

Tags: china, Guide, Huang, info, Mount, Tips, Travel, Vacations

There are some great vacation travel tip ideas that will be very helpful for you for when you travel in the future, and will ensure that all your future travels go as smoothly as possible. This is important because after all you want to focus on having fun and enjoying yourself, and so the less that you have to worry about, the better off you are going to be.

Out of all the different vacation travel tip ideas that you could be offered, there are a few in particular that are really worth learning more about, and which will be discussed here in more detail.

Travel Tips

For a trip to be successful it is important to be aware of as many vacation travel tip ideas as possible. One of the best tips involves packing early. After all the worst thing that could happen is that you end up getting to your destination only to realize that you have forgotten something at home. This is why the best idea is for you to make a list and then go over it as you are packing, to make sure that nothing gets left behind.

Knowing what to pack can almost be as difficult as knowing where to go, and there are certainly things that you are going to need to make sure to have with you and those that are best left at home. This is a very important vacation travel tip because you want to make sure that you are going to remember to bring everything along that you need.

Another important vacation travel tip is to find out the weather of the destination that you are traveling to. You don’t want to get it there and have it be rainy, so make sure that you are aware of the climate and of any possible bad weather conditions for the area that you are traveling to. It really all depends on where you are going though, because maybe you want a particular type of weather.

In general though people tend to travel to warmer climates and in this case you really don’t want it to be gloomy weather because you are going to want to get a great tan while you are there.

Make sure that you plan your trip properly and you should have no problems at all and should have a really great time. There are lots of different tips that will help you in the planning of your trip.

Tags: Great, Guide, Travel, Vacation

Now that you’re enjoying the comfort and convenience of your Santa Barbara vacation rental home, what’s next? How do you plan to spend your time in Santa Babrara? Where can you mix and mingle with the locals? What you need is a Santa Barbara native to give you the kind of useful insider tips only local knowledge can give.

Whether you are interested in dining, seafood, shopping, art, ocean, hiking, antiquing, wineries or farmers markets, we’ve got you covered.  And to get your custom-tailored vacation tips, contact your Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #1 – Sunday Treat: Every Sunday afternoon Cold Springs Tavern, a tucked away restaurant/bar on the way to wine country, features live music, a colorful assortment of characters and the best tri-tip sandwiches in town. Take Hwy. 101 to Hwy. 154, drive up the mountain to the top, then one mile down the valley side turn toward Stagecoach Road. Then take a direct onto Stagecoach Road and go down the canyon for about 1.5 miles to the Tavern.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #2 – Beautiful Beach Combing: Butterfly Beach in Montecito is one of the prettiest beaches in town. Take the Olive Mill exit from Hwy. 101 and take Olive Mill west toward the ocean, Olive Mill becomes Channel Drive. After you pass the Four Seasons Resort on your right, begin looking for parking.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #3 – Enjoy a Seafood Feast: If you want to create a seafood feast at your Santa Barbara vacation rental home, go to Kanaloa Seafood for the freshest, highest quality fish available. From Hwy. 101 take the Garden exit up to Haley, take a right on Haley, another right on Quarantina, and another right on Gutierrez. Kanaloa is located at 618 E. Gutierrez, on your left hand side.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #4 – The Happiest Happy Hour in Santa Barbara: The Boathouse restaurant on Hendry’s Beach offers a great happy hour. Watch the surfers and the sunset while you wash down your pulled pork sliders with a cold beverage. Take the Las Positas exit and head towards the ocean, continue straight until you hit the T in the road, and take a right at Cliff Drive and pull into the parking lot on your left. Web: http://www.sbfishhouse.com

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #5 – A Hike Everyone Will Like: If you’re in the mood for some outdoor activity, Seven Falls hiking trail offers amazing views and swimming pools. Drive past the Mission towards Foothill Rd., take a right on Foothill and a left on Mission Cyn. Rd. Take a left on Tunnel Rd. and drive all the way up. Follow the trail signs from the trailhead and don’t forget to bring your water and good walking shoes.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #6 – Set Your Sail for Adventure: Take a cruise aboard the Double Dolphin catamaran or Sunset Kidd sailboat. You might spot whales and you will likely see dolphins, but the beautiful coastline views are guaranteed.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #7 – Enjoy the Santa Barbara Wharf Experience: Stearn’s Wharf is a quintessential Santa Barbara experience. Take a walk down the pier and head to the Shellfish Company. With indoor and outdoor seating, nearby fishermen and the smell of the sea, this historic locale is the perfect setting for your lobster taco meal.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #8 – Meet Santa Barbara’s Local Artists: The Cabrillo Beach Show is a weekly arts & crafts show that runs along East Beach every Sunday. Enjoy a colorful, leisurely stroll and pick up some quirky local art.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #9 – Go Gallery Hopping: The first Thursday of every month all the local galleries open their doors to the public, often featuring music, snacks or drinks.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #10 – Discover New Antiques: Summerland is a quaint, seaside town just south of Santa Barbara that has a variety of antique shops. The Summerland Antique Collective across from the freeway onramp is our favorite. 2192 Ortega Hill Rd., Summerland, CA 93067 Open every day 10-5. Phone: 805-565-3189. Then head to the Nugget afterward for lunch or dinner.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #11 – Wine and Dine Your Way through Santa Barbara: Carr Winery, located at 414 N. Salsipuedes St. in Santa Barbara, opens their doors every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 5 pm to midnight, offering wine tasting and live music. The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail includes a variety of other wineries, all within biking distance of each other. If you fall in love with a specific winery, be sure to join their wine club. You will then be eligible for greater access to savings as well as receiving select varietals before they are released to the public. If you can’t wait to open up your new favorite wine, purchase a couple bottles at the tasting room and bring them back to your Santa Barbara vacation rental.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #12 – Taste Mouthwatering Treats at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market: Santa Barbara’s Local Farmers Market is a great place to stock up on produce, artisan cheeses, flowers and much more to enjoy in your Santa Barbara vacation rental. The Tuesday afternoon market takes place on State St. between Ortega and Gutierrez, and the Saturday morning market takes place in a large parking lot on Santa Barbara St., between Ortega and Cota.

The real benefit of a Santa Barbara vacation rental home is not just the great price (although it provides tremendous value to guests, often half the cost of a luxury hotel), but the dedicated Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge who can help you every step along the way, offering supportive assistance and invaluable information about all that Santa Barbara has to offer. The Santa Barbara vacation rental concierge is dedicated to creating a memorable vacation experience of the highest quality, giving all guests the utmost consideration and quality service during their stay at SBLR’s vacation rentals in Santa Barbara. These tips are just a starting point, call your Santa Barbara vacation rental home concierge to start planning the perfect Santa Barbara vacation custom tailored just for you.

Tags: Area, Barbara, Guests, Guide, Insider, Local, Rental, Santa, Tips, Travel, Vacation

Second largest continent in world, Europe is one of the most diversified continents on planet earth. Due to its cultural diversification it has established itself as a famous tourist attraction. Europe is visited by 59% of total travelers that visit across the world. This is enough to understand the importance of this continent. If you are also planning to visit Europe than this article about Europe travel will help you to understand about Europe and its culture.

Countries in Europe are vast and have dissimilar culture with many different places, history and tradition. It is good to know about insights of all countries before travelling so as to enjoy your trip to fullest. A trip that is planned in advance is best as it not only save money but you can also enjoy much more and remain comfortable throughout your journey. Planning trip in advance consists of knowing about the places you will be visiting, making advance hotel and flight booking, gathering knowledge about geography and weather conditions of that place, know about the tradition and prices of that particular place and deciding your overall budget. (more…)

Tags: Europe, Guide, Travel

Among many other tourist detonations Europe is the best as there you will get just a plenty of options to visit and to do. A tour to the Europe will really come out to be colorful and an unforgettable memory. Here you will get lots of countries like Germany, France, England, Greece, Italy etc to visit and as it is the second largest continent in the world, you will never get to be discontent while on your journey. For the best and memorable tour you can opt to go for the Europe travel guide.

The travel guides for several places are easily available in the online services. Some of such packages prove to be quite helpful. They use to be budget friendly and also you will feel like guided and secured in the journey. Going to an unknown place for the first time will obviously be risky and in that context you can adopt such a travel guide.

Based on your choices you can select the countries that you want to visit and according to that you can get a travel package. There are lots varieties of packages that offer tours to several places and they may differ from each other. However, the money to be spent in the complete journey also matter. So, plan everything and go for the right guided tour.

Another advantage of traveling and sightseeing with a guide is that you will get to know what is worth knowing in a particular place. The famous places can thus be visited without wasting much time. However, you will not be deceived by anyone for having a guide with you. So, in each and everything you will be guided and thus, you will be able to save money and enjoy traveling altogether. Europe travel guide thus, can be a good option for you.

Tags: Europe, Guide, Started, Tour, Travel, Unforgettable

Bali Introduction: The Geography

Bali is a small volcanic island covering around 5000 square kilometers, just south of the equator. Central Bali is dominated by the island’s major volcanic peaks, from which the land steadily descends all the way down to sea level on the northern and eastern coasts; the southern Bali peninsula is largely flat. There are four major volcanoes in Bali, the highest being Mt Agung at 3124m. Agung erupted violently in 1963 and although many people died in the eruption it has since been a blessing to the Balinese in providing some of the richest soil in Indonesia. The next four highest mountains are no longer alive but the smaller Mt Batur (1717m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the region, puffing regular clouds of ash into the air. Bali, being such a small island, has little space to create rivers of any notable size. Rather it is riddled with small creeks that are channeled into the intricate irrigation system that feeds Balinese rice paddies. Nevertheless, some major rivers do flow, namely the Sungai Pakrisan (“Kris River”), the Sungai Petanu (“Cursed River”) and the Ayung, Bali’s longest river.

Bali Introduction : The History

Many years ago Bali was divided into eight Hindu kingdoms. These small kingdoms were powerful but prone to fighting each other, which weakened their resistance to foreign invasion. As early as the sixth century, Javanese kings conquered parts of Bali although Balinese princes often continued to rule as puppets with Javanese sovereignty pulling their strings. Nevertheless power continued to bounce between various kingdoms of Bali and Java. As links with Java strengthened, Javanese script, sculpture and temples began to appear on the island. Late in the tenth century, ties between the islands were solidified with the marital union of a Balinese Prince and a Javanese Princess. The Javanese Majapahit kingdom conquered Bali in the thirteenth century by vanquishing the semi-demonic king of Bali at the time, ‘Dalem Bedulu’, and attempting to eradicate the ‘vile’ Balinese princes and their ‘barbaric’ customs. Ironically, the supreme Majapahit ruler gave a Balinese the position of ‘King of Bali’, a position that gained little respect from the majority of Balinese who continued to refuse to recognize Javanese sovereignty. The Majapahit presence in Bali turned out to be short and turbulent and during the ensuing centuries, much of the unique Balinese Hindu culture and traditions that we see in Bali today were created. This was possibly a result of a community determined to protect their individuality and not be overcome by imported Javanese culture.

Contact with the west began when a Dutch fleet stumbled across Bali in 1597 and felt they had found ‘paradise’. Many of the crew refused to return home but stories of a magical place leaked back to their homeland. With Dutch royalty eager to establish relations, Dutch ships bearing gifts for the Balinese kings were dispatched. However, from a trading perspective, Bali had little to offer so the opportunity to develop international relations was restricted at first. Originally, its primary export was slaves but as the world slave trade was curtailed, the Balinese Kings turned to other commodities such as coconut oil, thereby putting Bali in a position to enter the world trading market.

Dutch interest in the Indonesian islands changed into the seventeenth century and the merchant ships gave way to war ships. The Dutch had overcome many Javanese kingdoms through ancient principles of divide and conquer and the same approach was taken in Bali. As the Balinese continued to resist, the Dutch became more and more aggressive. Stories of their barbaric tactics were not received well in their homeland and protests led them to complete their invasion more tactfully. Surprisingly, once the Dutch secured control, they protected the island from outside influences and encouraged them to maintain much of their culture and traditions. Grateful of this as we are today, their reasons were not purely benevolent: they considered the Balinese controllable with their peaceful religion but were wary should that religion change to a more fundamental variety.

World War 2 brought a new era as Japanese armies took over from the Dutch. The Japanese presence in Bali was short lived and they left without a trace as they lost the war. The Dutch tried to return to the Indonesian islands, but their desperate attempts to regain power in the colony were condemned all over the world. Together with the rest of the Dutch East Indies archipelago, Bali was handed over to a new independent Indonesian government that emerged in 1949. Bali had finally lost its liberty and fell to its destiny of economic and political dependence on neighboring Java.

Bali Introduction : The Population

Bali is bursting, with an estimated population of over three million people. Through the controversial transmigration program, Balinese communities have developed in the outer regions of Indonesia such as Sumatra and Sulawesi, in order to relieve the islands’ already stretched natural resources.

to be continued…..

Tags: Bali, Guide, Part, Review, Travel

Balinese Castes

The Balinese Hindu religion regards a traditional caste system though it has never been as divisive as its Indian ascendent. This is for the most part due to the fact that over 90% of Balinese belong to the lowest ‘Sudra’ caste, and in India would have been considered ‘untouchable’. Given their dominance such mental attitudes in Bali would not be realistic. Notwithstanding these facts, inter-marriage persists to be uncommon and discouraged.

The three upper castes are together recognized as the ‘Triwangsa’ (‘three peoples’) constituting Brahmana, Kesayatria and Wesia. Caste is specified by birth but is rarely reflected in a person’s occupation, although only a Brahmana can be suited to be a Pedanda high priest, and only Brahmana may take the task of recreating masks from the ‘Barong’ dance as they harbour the ability to protect themselves from the evil spirits.

Balinese Names

Upon learning a Balinese friends name, you can establish some elements of his or her background. First Of All, the name will often indicate the cast to which they belong. For illustration, if you meet someone named Ida Bagus, you recognize they belong to the highest Brahmana caste or, if they are addressed as Gusti, they will almost surely belong to the Wesia caste. The Balinese also distinguish their children in order of birth. Together with a personal name, unique in the family, a Balinese child will be awarded a more common name. The firstborn is often Wayan or Putu while the second born generally carries the name of Made or Kadek. The third child usually is Nyoman or Komang and the fourth is always Ketut; with the birth of a fifth child, the naming cycle starts again.

Children

The Balinese dote on their children, a devotion that no doubt leads to the calm and relaxed demeanour of the island’s population. At birth the baby’s umbilical cord is buried with oblations to protect them throughout their lives. Until the child reaches three months of age, they are permanently carried as it is regarded as unclean and disrespectful if they should touch the ground before that age. Balinese children are discouraged from crawling, believed to be only the actions of an animal, and learn to walk at a very young age. Upon reaching 105 days, the baby will be ornamented with bracelets and anklets. A further 105 days later, a ceremony is held to signify their entry into adulthood. The passage through puberty is celebrated with a tooth filing ceremony, aimed to flatten any pointed teeth that may represent evil and designed to restrict sinful emotions and actions such as greed, anger, jealousy, stupidity, and adultery.

Everyday, there are many temple ceremonies all over Bali. Some are held at a single village temple while others are island-wide. One common ceremony is the ‘odelan’, held every 210 days to celebrate a temple’s anniversary. Another is held every time there is a full moon. The day of Saraswati heralds a ceremony celebrating knowledge, learning and the arts. Ceremonies on this day are held in relation to schools and primarily involve students. Some important days occur very rarely such as the ‘Eka Dasa Rudra’, held only once every 100 years at Besakih Temple. .

Religion

Bali is a predominantly Hindu Island, surviving in an Islamic nation. Minority populations of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists are also found on the island.

Little is known of the introduction of Hinduism in Bali though it doubtlessly involved the Indian traders who came to these parts for the spice trade over two thousand years ago. Given its physical isolation from the ancestral religion, Balinese Hinduism has since developed into a unique version of the ancient faith. Although the fundamentals remain the same, many of the gods revered on Bali are unknown in India and vice versa. Vast Hindu kingdoms were also found in neighbouring islands but they disappeared soon after the Arabs became interested in the archipelago, bringing with them Islam to Indonesia’s shores. Bali held little interest for the Arab traders so it was largely left alone. Throughout Indonesia, traditional beliefs in mysticism and the spiritual world remain strong, despite the common practice of imported faiths that forbid such strong beliefs.

While the impact this has had on the Islamic faith is often controversial, for the Balinese, the two have merely blend to create the distinctive religion they follow today.

Tags: Bali, Guide, Part, Review, Travel

Balinese Castes

The Balinese Hindu religion regards a traditional caste system though it has never been as divisive as its Indian ascendent. This is for the most part due to the fact that over 90% of Balinese belong to the lowest ‘Sudra’ caste, and in India would have been considered ‘untouchable’. Given their dominance such mental attitudes in Bali would not be realistic. Notwithstanding these facts, inter-marriage persists to be uncommon and discouraged.

The three upper castes are together recognized as the ‘Triwangsa’ (‘three peoples’) constituting Brahmana, Kesayatria and Wesia. Caste is specified by birth but is rarely reflected in a person’s occupation, although only a Brahmana can be suited to be a Pedanda high priest, and only Brahmana may take the task of recreating masks from the ‘Barong’ dance as they harbour the ability to protect themselves from the evil spirits. (more…)

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