The Traveler's Companion Guide to Bali 1998

Book excerpt: Ever since Western artists first discovered Bali in the 1930s, the island has been hailed as an earthly Paradise. Those early visitors were fascinated by a people who danced in flower-laden temples under the full moon and worshipped volcanoes. Today, the incomparable arts of the Balinese and the life of sun and surf together make the island one of Asia's prime tourist destinations. It attracts four-fifths of Indonesia's tourists alone. The Traveler's Bali Companion, with a thoroughness never before achieved, surveys both sides of this exotic land. Whether you want to know where to stay, where and what to eat, how to calculate the dates of the great temple festivals, or where the surf breaks best, this guide will not only tell you in up-to-the-minute detail, but will also provide you with in-depth cultural background.